The Indian government has confirmed 83 cases of coronavirus infections in the country. The health ministry has claimed these are either “im...
The Indian government has confirmed 83 cases of coronavirus infections in the country. The health ministry has claimed these are either “imported cases” – people who have recently travelled abroad – or “local transmission” – those who came in touch with them. The ministry denies India has experienced any “community transmission” or cases that cannot be traced to known patients.
But experts point out that this conclusion is based on a narrow testing of cases.
Here is what we know so far.
How many cases have been tested for coronavirus in India?
The first coronavirus case was confirmed in India on January 30. Since then, 6,500 samples of 5,900 individuals have been tested in the country, the Indian Council of Medical Research, the testing agency for the virus, said in a press release on Friday, March 13.
Coronavirus testing is currently confined to 65 government-run centres. “The secondary test for reconfirmation of the virus which was earlier conducted only at the National Institute of Virology has also been expanded to 31 labs,” the ICMR press release said.
What is the testing protocol?
Many Indians who have returned from international travel have complained that they were unable to get themselves tested for coronavirus. This is because the government’s protocol, as health officials confirmed on...
