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Only one sample enough for coronavirus testing, says WHO
In a fresh set of instructions, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said that testing of only one swab sample is enough, as against the earlier two, in suspected novel coronavirus cases, a senior Maharashtra health official said on Sunday.
Mumbai : In a fresh set of instructions, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said that testing of only one swab sample is enough, as against the earlier two, in suspected novel coronavirus cases, a senior Maharashtra health official said on Sunday.
The new WHO instructions will ensure faster testing of samples which will quicken the fight against the 2019-nCoV outbreak, the official said.
"We have received a new set of instructions from the WHO recommending that one swab sample is sufficient for testing of novel coronavirus infection.
Earlier, we were sending two samples of each patient to NIV (National Institute of Virology in Pune) for testing," Maharashtra state disease surveillance officer Dr Pradeep Awate told PTI.
"This will ensure faster testing of samples, which will quicken the fight against coronavirus. We are tracking passengers arriving from China for a period of 28 days from the date of their arrival," he added.
China on Sunday resorted to more drastic measures like isolating coronavirus patients to designated areas and restricting the movement of residents in regions hit by the rapid spreading virus that has killed 305 people and infected over 14,000 others.
The Philippines on Sunday reported the first death outside China from the deadly virus that has spread to 25 countries, including India, taking the total toll to 305.
A claim by Chinese scientists that a liquid made with honeysuckle and flowering plants could help fight the deadly coronavirus has sparked frenzied buying of the traditional medicine, but doubts quickly emerged.
As the death toll from the SARS-like pathogen sweeping the country continues to rise, shoppers have swamped pharmacies in search of "Shuanghuanglian".
The rush came after influential state media outlet Xinhua reported Friday that the esteemed Chinese Academy of Sciences had found the concoction "can inhibit" the virus.
Videos shared online showed long lines of people in surgical masks lining up at night outside drug stores, purportedly in hope of snapping up the product, despite official advice that people avoid public gatherings to prevent infection.
It quickly sold out both online and at brick-and-mortar stores, but responses to the remedy's supposed efficacy have ranged from enthusiasm to scepticism on Weibo, China's Twitter-like social media platform.
