New Delhi : People with coronavirus symptoms but tested negative in Rapid Antigen Tests must be tested again, the government told states today ahead of a highest one-day surge in cases across the country.
The RT-PCR test should be used to confirm Covid cases, the Union Health Ministry said in an advisory. States/union territories to ensure that no positive cases are missed to curb the spread of infection, added ministry.
The decision is directed as states have increased the use of Rapid Antigen Testing, which is cheaper and faster but also has a high rate of showing negatives results A problem recognised even by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
Recently, an ICMR advisory had stressed that states must test all people living in containment zones using Rapid Antigen Testing kits, especially in the cities that are badly affected by the coronavirus outbreak. However, it added that an RT-PCR test should be done “if an individual develops symptoms following a negative RAT”.
India recorded 95,735 coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, the highest so far. There are over 9.19 lakh active cases in India, which is the second worst-affected nation.