New ICMR guidelines will reduce pressure on testing labs, says Pune district collector

Maharashtra state health commissioner Dr Archana Patil has instructed all municipal corporations and district hospitals to follow ICMR guidelines.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), on May 18, issued new guidelines updating its strategy for Covid-19 tests as the number of infected people crossed 90,000-mark in the country.

A healthcare worker collects oral swab sample of a child at Sane Guruji Smarak, Sinhgad road in Pune on Thursday. (PRATHAM GOKHALE/HT)

The revised strategy proposes all symptomatic contacts of laboratory confirmed cases and healthcare workers to be tested. All symptomatic patients with Influenza Like Illness (ILI) and patients who develop ILI symptoms should also be tested.

Maharashtra state health commissioner Dr Archana Patil instructed all municipal corporations and district hospitals to follow the ICMR guidelines.

Pune district collector Naval Kishore Ram said that the new guidelines will help streamline the testing process and reduce the pressure of testing labs. “We have received the new guidelines from the state health department. We have forwarded it to our district hospitals and health officials. From now onwards testing will be done only according to the given guidelines and it will certainly reduce the pressure on the testing labs,” he said.

As of May 20, 35,302 testing have been done in Pune city, out of which 3,899 persons have been tested positive. While 221 people have lost their lives due to Covid-19, 2,023 persons have been completely recovered and discharged from the hospitals.