New Delhi:
The Indian Council of Medical Research revised its strategy to fight the spread of the new coronavirus on Saturday, saying all hospitalised patients with severe acute respiratory illness, shortness of breath and having fever and cough will now be tested for COVID-19 infection.
The new ICMR guidelines also said 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.
The apex body for biomedical research revised its strategy in view of a spurt in coronavirus cases in the country this week. The new strategy aims to contain the spread of infection more effectively and to provide reliable diagnosis to all individuals meeting the inclusion criteria of COVID-19 testing.
Till now, all asymptomatic individuals who undertook international travel in the last 14 days and developed symptoms, all symptomatic contacts of laboratory-confirmed cases and all symptomatic health care workers were being tested for the infection as per the guidelines.
The coronavirus cases rose to 258 on Saturday in India with fresh cases being reported from various parts of the country.
India has so far witnessed cases of COVID-19 mostly related to travel and local transmission from imported cases. Community transmission of the disease has not been documented till now.
Once community transmission is documented, the above testing strategy will undergo changes to evolve into stage-appropriate testing strategy, ICMR said.
Advisory for testing are being reviewed and updated periodically.
The testing strategy is reviewed by the National Task Force constituted by Secretary DHR & DG, ICMR and Chaired by VK Paul, a member of the NITI Aayog.
Meanwhile, the Health ministry issues new directives, tells hospitals to be prepared in the following manner-
-Non-essential elective surgeries should be postponed.
-Beds should be set apart and prepared for creating isolation facilities in every public and private hospital.
-All hospitals should mobilize additional resources including masks, gloves and personal protection equipment.
-Healthcare personnel should be trained for dealing with any foreseeable emergencies.
-All doctors, nurses and support staff in different specialities, including pre and para clinical departments, should be mobilized and trained in infection prevention and control practices.
-Hospitals may ensure that stable patients are discharged as early as possible while further new admissions (of stable patients) are also restricted.
-All hospitals should carry out a preparedness drill on Sunday, 22nd March 2020.
-All hospitals must provide treatment free of cost to any medical personnel who pick up infection while treating patients.
-No suspected COVID 19 patient should be turned away from any hospital and the admission of any such patient should be notified to NCDC or IDSP immediately. Similarly, all pneumonia patients must also be notified to NCDC or IDSP so that they can be tested for COVID 19.
-All ongoing examinations may be rescheduled after 31.03.2020.
-Leave of all kinds (except under emergency and unavoidable circumstances) may be cancelled immediatel