COVID-19: ICMR Latest Report Shows Possible Community Transmission In India

HYDERABAD: After Conducting random sampling tests on COVID-19 patients from various states in India, for the past few weeks to find the possibility of community transmission in India, Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) has now found out the possibility of community transmission in clusters in India. Health research agency, and ICMR has compiled the data collected and they have hinted that India has now entered into a stage of the community transmission.

For the past five weeks between February 15 and April 2, ICMR has tested 5,911 SARI (Severe Acute Respiratory Illnesses) patients from 52 districts in 20 states and union territories, over the possibility of getting infected with Coronavirus. Out of which, 104 tested positive for the COVID-19.

Interestingly the study have found out that at least 40 cases didn't have any foreign travel history, and they are not even the primary contacts of any foreign returnee, which means there is clear possibility of community transmission. All these 40 cases were reported from 36 Indian districts in 15 states, and more than one percent of 5,911 SARI patients from the second ICMR study, were tested positive for the coronavirus pandemic. But In contrast to this, no SARI patient had tested positive for coronavirus in the first ICMR study on March 14.

Out of the confirmed COVID-19 cases in the survey, only two cases, has a contact with a COVID-19 patient, and one has a recent travel history.

After ICMR has changed testing policy and included testing of SARI patients, only two of 106 tested patients were found positive for the COVID-19 between March 15 and March 21. But in the second study, between March 22 and March 28 a total of 48 were found positive out of 2,877 tested patients.

According the ICMR second test reports Men and patients aged above 50 years has more likely infected with the virus. The study revealed that a total of 85 men and and 83 cases above 40 years of age were infected with the COVID-19 virus, from their study.

In the second report by ICMR the possibility of detection of Covid-19 among SARI patients increased from 0 per cent to 2.6 per cent.

For avoiding the community transmission of COVID-19 in India, ICMR report suggested that government should identify all the containment zones reporting more of SARI cases, and to intensify surveillance and medical facilities in these zones.

Also Read: Coronavirus Live Updates: India’s COVID-19 Tally Mounts To 5,865