A total of 20 thousand 471 confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the country so far. Out of them, 3,959 patients have been cured and were discharged from the hospitals while 652 patients have died.

Health Ministry said, Indian Council of Medical Research, ICMR has forwarded a protocol for using Rapid Antibody Test to all States. It is reiterated that antibody rapid tests are largely to be used as a tool for surveillance. The Ministry said, utility of this test is evolving globally and it is currently being used for detecting the formation of antibodies in individuals. These test results are also dependent on field conditions.

As noted by ICMR, these tests cannot replace the RT-PCR test to diagnose COVID-19 cases. ICMR has assured assistance to collect data from various States to assess the scope and extent of utility of these rapid antibody test in field conditions, and ICMR shall keep advising the States on a regular basis.

The Ministry said, States have also been advised to follow the prescribed protocol for these tests and use it for the purposes for which they are meant.