Over 29 lakh samples tested so far: Data from south states, Maharashtra

India has doubled down on its testing since the lockdown was announced on March 24, which has now been extended to May 31.

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), a total of 29,43,421 samples had been tested as of 9 am on May 24. As per ICMR's bulletin, 1,08,623 samples were tested in 24 hours, from 9 am on May 23 to 9 am on May 24.

Here are the state-wise numbers as of 10 am on May 24:

> Andhra Pradesh has tested 2,92,969 samples out of which 2,90,255 were negative. As on May 23, the state has a total of 2,714 cases, with 1,804  recoveries and 56 deaths.

> Kerala has tested 52,771 samples so far and of these, 51,045 have returned negative. The state currently has 795 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with 515 recoveries and 5 deaths.

> Tamil Nadu has tested 3,97,340 samples so far, with 15,512 people testing positive. 3,81,216 samples tested negative and results of 612 samples are awaited. A total of 7,491 patients have recovered and 103 patients have died due to the disease.

> Telangana had been providing sample numbers till April 30. However, the updated numbers since then are not known. A total of 1,813 people have tested positive so far, with 1,068 recoveries. The state has recorded 49 deaths so far.

> Karnataka has tested 1,96,196 samples, with 1,959 people testing positive and 1,92,127 samples returning negative. The state has recorded 42 COVID-19 deaths, while 608 persons have recovered.

> Maharashtra has tested 3,48,026 samples, out of which 2,98,696 were negative and 47,190 have tested positive. 1,577 people have died from the disease in the state, while 13,404 have recovered.

On May 18, the ICMR revised its strategy for COVID-19 testing. As per the new guideline, those with a history of international travel in the past 14 days, who show Influenza-like Illness (ILI) symptoms — acute respiratory infection with fever more than 38ºC coupled with cough — will be tested.

Considering that migrant workers and expatriates are returning to their native states, all returnees and migrants, who exhibit symptoms, will be tested within seven days of developing an illness.

Additionally, all asymptomatic direct and high-risk contacts of a confirmed case will be tested once between day 5 and 10 of coming into contact with a COVID-19 patient, unlike previously between day 5 and 14.

The other patients that will be tested include:

* Symptomatic contacts of laboratory-confirmed cases
* Symptomatic health care workers or frontline workers involved in containment and mitigation of the disease
* Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) patients
* Symptomatic individuals within hotspots and containment zones
* Hospitalised patients who develop symptoms

The ICMR has recommended that all testing be done only with real-time RT-PCR or the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction test. This test can detect the presence of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

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