Covid-19 tests cross three-crore mark; 1.7 crore tests conducted in a month

Ramping up testing for Covid-19, the Health Ministry on Monday said it had tested more than three crore samples for the infectious disease that has claimed more than 50,000 lives since January.

Testing has picked up pace in the past one month (July 17-August 16) – a period that saw more than 1.7 crore samples being tested for Covid-19, as against the 1.3 crore tests conducted across a nationwide network of laboratories since January end, when the first patient was reported in the country.

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The ramped up testing has resulted in identifying more Covid-19 patients every day. “The test positivity rate has seen a rise from 7.5% (in mid-July) to 8.81% (mid-August),” the Health Ministry said.

“Although higher number of tests will push the positivity rate initially… it will eventually lower when combined with other measures such as prompt isolation, tracking and timely clinical management,” the ministry said.

According to the DH Covid-19 Tracker, India had 26,46,981 confirmed cases of Covid-19 as of 5:30 p.m., while 19.17 lakh patients had recovered and discharged from healthcare facilities.

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India has been reporting over 60,000 cases daily since August 7, barring August 11 and August 16 when the country registered 53,601 and 57,981 new infections respectively.

The country also reported highest ever single-day recoveries as 57,584 Covid-19 patients have recovered on Sunday and the total recoveries so far set to cross the 20-lakh mark.

Though the testing numbers have increased, experts caution that states such as Maharashtra that has reported nearly six lakh cases so far, have been carrying out fewer tests

While the national test positivity rate was 8.81%, for Maharashtra it was 19%, prompting experts to call for more tests in the state.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), through its network of more than 1,400 laboratories, both public and private, have conducted 7,31,697 tests on Sunday, the ministry said.

The test per million, nationally, stands currently at 21,769.