<p>India’s top medical research body on Thursday recommended the use of rapid antibody tests or serological tests in areas that are emerging hotspots for COVID-19 for faster detection, even as the number of confirmed cases touched 1965 and the death toll touched 50.</p>.<p>In an interim advisory, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) recommended that the population in hotspot areas may be tested using rapid antibody tests.</p>.<p>The ICMR asked those testing positive in the antibody tests should be confirmed using the RT-PCR method by using nasal and oral swab samples, while those testing negative in the antibody test be quarantined at home.</p>.<p>A Health Ministry document stated that 20 existing COVID-19 hotspots and an additional 22 potential ones have been identified across the country.</p>.<p>The RT-PCR tests, currently carried out in India, look for the presence of the genomic sequence of the virus in the nasal and oral samples and take at least a day for results. These tests are considered as “gold standard” in diagnostics, whereas rapid antibody tests are faster but require a confirmatory PCR as a positive result could be due to cross-reaction with other bacteria or viruses.</p>.<p>The US FDA had approved the rapid antibody tests, commonly used to screen a person for HIV infection, for COVID-19 on March 20.</p>.<p>“We want the people to have access to testing, but of course, proper evaluation and safeguards will still be in place,” FDA Director-General Eric Domingo had said.</p>.<p>He added that these kits will yield a faster result compared to PCR-based kits, but it was important that a trained health professional evaluate and interpret the results.</p>.<p>According to Lav Aggarwal, Joint Secretary, Health Ministry, as many as 328 new COVID-19 positive cases and 12 deaths were reported since Wednesday taking the total number of confirmed cases to 1965 and deaths to 50.</p>.<p>Aggarwal said on the brighter side, the number of persons recovering from COVID-19 has risen to 151.</p>.<p>To questions on the shortage of personal protection equipment, Aggarwal said that orders have been placed for 1.5 crore PPEs and for one crore N95 masks, besides other regular surgical masks.</p>
<p>India’s top medical research body on Thursday recommended the use of rapid antibody tests or serological tests in areas that are emerging hotspots for COVID-19 for faster detection, even as the number of confirmed cases touched 1965 and the death toll touched 50.</p>.<p>In an interim advisory, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) recommended that the population in hotspot areas may be tested using rapid antibody tests.</p>.<p>The ICMR asked those testing positive in the antibody tests should be confirmed using the RT-PCR method by using nasal and oral swab samples, while those testing negative in the antibody test be quarantined at home.</p>.<p>A Health Ministry document stated that 20 existing COVID-19 hotspots and an additional 22 potential ones have been identified across the country.</p>.<p>The RT-PCR tests, currently carried out in India, look for the presence of the genomic sequence of the virus in the nasal and oral samples and take at least a day for results. These tests are considered as “gold standard” in diagnostics, whereas rapid antibody tests are faster but require a confirmatory PCR as a positive result could be due to cross-reaction with other bacteria or viruses.</p>.<p>The US FDA had approved the rapid antibody tests, commonly used to screen a person for HIV infection, for COVID-19 on March 20.</p>.<p>“We want the people to have access to testing, but of course, proper evaluation and safeguards will still be in place,” FDA Director-General Eric Domingo had said.</p>.<p>He added that these kits will yield a faster result compared to PCR-based kits, but it was important that a trained health professional evaluate and interpret the results.</p>.<p>According to Lav Aggarwal, Joint Secretary, Health Ministry, as many as 328 new COVID-19 positive cases and 12 deaths were reported since Wednesday taking the total number of confirmed cases to 1965 and deaths to 50.</p>.<p>Aggarwal said on the brighter side, the number of persons recovering from COVID-19 has risen to 151.</p>.<p>To questions on the shortage of personal protection equipment, Aggarwal said that orders have been placed for 1.5 crore PPEs and for one crore N95 masks, besides other regular surgical masks.</p>
