A source said that 90 Doctors and nurses across the country have been affected due to unavailability of test kits. India is witnessing a setback in testing corona virus in cluster areas due to unavailability of serological test kits as ‘some consignments have been diverted to the US’, sources in Indian council of Medical Research (ICMR) admitted it on Sunday.
The surveillance test would have helped in reducing the lockdown from groups and districts. A scientist within IMCR said, adding that it is a setback to the lockdown.
For serological test a small amount of blood is taken from the finger prick, to test whether a person is exposed to a particular pathogen, like the new corona virus, by looking at their immune response.
An initial interpretation of Indian Council of Medical Research (IMCR) data by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has found that there are barely any areas which are marked ‘green zones’, or Covid-19 free zones, across the country. An official said that with the methodology followed almost no zone would be counted as green. Many of the previously green zones have turned pink now (as explained by the officials pink is the least risk zone).
An official from the health ministry, on condition of anonymity, said that over 90 doctors and paramedic staff across the country have been affected due to unavailability of test kits. However this could very well be a conservative figure given the fact that Maharasthra in itself have closed to 90 medical staff infected.
The geographical spread of the infection has increased in 80 districts. The spread now is in 364 districts. The last four days was spread in 80 new districts.
Both India and the US have been battling to contain the spread of deadly corona virus. While India has been locked down till April 14, with the centre mulling to extend the curb, the US which had overtaken Italy and China with over 20000 deaths- has requested New Delhi to help it by lifting ban on export of drugs.
A consignment of hydroxychloroquine from India on Sunday reached the US, the globe Covid-19 hotspot, days after the India lifted a ban on the export of the anti-malarial drug to America on humanitarian grounds.
The centre has also approved list of 13 countries that will receive corona fighting drugs from India, including HCQ. Besides US, the first list includes Spain, Germany, Bahrain, Brazil, Nepal, Bhutan, Afghanistan, Maldives, Bangladesh, Seychelles, Mauritius and the Dominican republic.
