ICMR’s new rule will push up number of undiagnosed Covid patients, say doctors

Doctors claimed that the new rule implicates that other suspected people with similar symptoms from outside these areas will not be tested.

The Indian Council of Medical Research’s (ICMR) new testing guideline, released on Monday, has left doctors confused. Doctors said that the new rule, which states that only symptomatic patients with influenza-like illnesses (ILI) within hotspots and containment zones are qualified for coronavirus tests, is a “diplomatic decision to decrease the number of contaminated zones”.

The Union Health Ministry defines the containment zone as a specific geographical area where positive cases of coronavirus are found. (Sonu Mehta/HT file photo)

Doctors claimed that the new rule implicates that other suspected people with similar symptoms from outside these areas will not be tested.

The Union Health Ministry defines the containment zone as a specific geographical area where positive cases of coronavirus are found. The authorities declare some lanes or neighbourhoods as containment zones even if it has one case, but it is declared a hotspot particularly when more than 6 cases appear.

Now, doctors’ associations are raising the question— if no more new patients aren’t diagnosed outside the already marked zones, there will be no enmarkment of new containment zones of hot spots. This will ultimately diminish the rising number of infected zones but let loose undiagnosed Covid-19 patients from other areas, alleged doctors.

At present, in Mumbai, there are over 3,000 containment zones.

Indian Medical Association (IMA) also criticised the new rule and demanded the involvement of doctors’associations in framing it. “So far, we have been testing symptomatic patients coming to our fever clinics. Now, with the new rules, we will never let them go if they don’t belong from containment zones,” said Dr Avinash Bhondwe, president IMA- Maharashtra.

Doctors also fear that it may increase the number of submissions of fake addresses. “This may force people to give wrong addresses from the containment zones to qualify for the test. And we don’t even have the provision to check it. But it will delay the contact tracing of infected patients,” he added.

Other than this, people with recent international travel history, symptomatic close contact of infected patients, health workers, patients with severe acute respiratory infections (SARI), high risk contact of confirmed patients, symptomatic migrant workers and hospitalized patients can undergo tests with the recommendation of doctors.

The Indian Council of Medical Research’s (ICMR) new testing guideline, released on Monday, has left doctors confused. Doctors said the new rule, which states that only symptomatic patients with influenza-like illnesses (ILI) within hotspots and containment zones are qualified for coronavirus tests, is a “diplomatic decision to decrease the number of contaminated zones”. They claimed that the new rule implicates that other suspected people with similar symptoms from outside these areas will not be tested.

“The rule is fundamentally wrong. This will help in reducing new containment zones as no more new cases will be identified outside those areas. But it will let go of several undetected patients even if they have symptoms,” said Dr Deepak Baid, president of the Association of Medical Consultants.

Doctors also fear the rule may lead to patients submitting fake addresses. “People may give wrong addresses of containment zones to qualify for the test. And we don’t even have the provision to check it. It will also delay the contact tracing of infected patients,” said Dr Avinash Bhondwe, president Indian Medical Association, Maharashtra.

People with recent international travel history, symptomatic close contact of infected patients, health workers, patients with severe acute respiratory infections (SARI), high-risk contacts of confirmed patients, symptomatic migrant workers and hospitalised patients can undergo tests on the recommendation of doctors.