Coronavirus Update: Rapid antibody tests to be carried out on all those in hotspots with symptoms

Rapid antibody tests will be carried out on all those in hotspots with symptoms of influenza-like illness of fever, cough and cold for over seven days and irrespective of whether found positive or negative will be quarantined for at least seven days, according to the latest Indian Council Medical Research (ICMR) guidelines released on Friday night by its chief Balram Bhargav for antibody tests in the hotspot areas.

If clinical suspicion is high for Covid in those testing negative in the antibody test, they will have to undergo the RT-PCR test.

Also, those showing the symptoms in less than seven days in hotspot areas will have to take RT-PCR tests and those found positive will be confirmed as COVID-19 cases and even those tested negative will be treated as "susceptible" for monitoring for some days.

These are the additional tests recommended in the hotspots besides the realtime PCR (RT-PCR) tests and point-of-care molecular diagnostic assays for diagnosis among the individuals of the following categories: . All symptomatic contacts of laboratory confirmed cases; . All symptomatic health care workers; .

All patients with Severe Acute Respiratory illness (fever, cough and/or shortness of breath); . Asymptomatic direct and high-risk contacts of a confirmed case should be tested once between day 5 and day 14 of coming in his/her contact; and . All symptomatic individuals who have undertaken international travel in the last 14 days point-of-care molecular diagnostic assays for diagnosis among the individuals of the following categories: . All symptomatic contacts of laboratory confirmed cases; . All symptomatic health care workers; .

All patients with Severe Acute Respiratory illness (fever, cough and/or shortness of breath); . Asymptomatic direct and high-risk contacts of a confirmed case should be tested once between day 5 and day 14 of coming in his/her contact; and . All symptomatic individuals who have undertaken international travel in the last 14 days.