21 March 2020 1:18 PM ISTThe Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Indian Council of Medical Research has released a notification stating that all pneumonia cases will now be considered eligible for testing.
The ICMR now has five criteria for testing people.
i. All asymptomatic individuals who have undertaken international travel in the last 14 days:
- They should stay in home quarantine for 14 days.
- They should be tested only if they become symptomatic (fever, cough, difficulty in breathing)
- All family members living with a confirmed case should be home quarantined
ii. All symptomatic contacts of laboratory confirmed cases.
iii. All symptomatic health care workers.
iv. All hospitalized patients with Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (fever AND cough and/or
shortness of breath).
v. Asymptomatic direct and high-risk contacts of a confirmed case should be tested once
between day 5 and day 14 of coming in his/her contact.
- Direct and high-risk contact include those who live in the same household with a confirmed case and
healthcare workers who examined a confirmed case without adequate protection as per WHO
recommendations.
The government has also issued notifications to hospitals and OPDs asking them to stop check ups and postpone surgeries.
