The National Task Force recommends that the maximum cost of sample testing samples should not exceed Rs 4500. © Shutterstock
India has gone into a nationwide 14-hour lockdown today to break the spread of the novel coronavirus. While the number of confirmed cases continue to increase on a daily basis, there is still no evidence of community transmission in the country.
However, the central and several state governments are taking stringent measures to avoid community transmission (stage 3) of coronavirus infection. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has also revised its strategy for testing people for the COVID-19 virus. This is to provide reliable diagnosis to all individuals meeting the inclusion criteria of COVID-19 testing.
Here's what ICMR's revised strategy say
The ICMR has also issued guidelines for COVID-19 testing in private laboratories in India As per the guidelines
The ICMR says failure to comply with the guidelines will result in legal action.
The National Task Force recommends that the maximum cost of sample testing samples should not exceed Rs 4500. This include Rs 1,500 for screening suspect cases and an additional Rs3,000 for confirmation test. However, ICMR encourages free or subsidized testing in this hour national public health of emergency.
As per the Union Health Ministry website, the total number of people testing positive for the virus stood at 315, including foreign nationals. India saw 65 new cases on Saturday. However, media reports put the number of cases at 332.
