New Delhi

The Indian Council of Medical Research has issued fresh guidelines for Covid-19 testing as the laboratories face challenges to meet the expected testing target due to the rise in caseload.

According to the new guidelines issued, an "RT-PCR test must not be repeated in any individual who has tested positive once either by RAT or RT-PCR". Moreover, recovered individuals who get discharged from hospitals will not require another round of testing, the ICMR said.

ICMR has recommended no RT-PCR tests if

An individual has tested positive by rapid antigen test.

An individual has tested positive once by RT-PCR test.

One has completed 10 days home isolation period with no fever for the last three days.

At the time of hospital discharge.

A healthy individual is undertaking interstate domestic travel. While this is a requirement imposed by states, ICMR said this can completely be removed to reduce the load on laboratories.

India on Wednesday reported 382,691 fresh Covid-19 cases. With this, the cumulative caseload stands at 20,658,234, Worldometer showed this morning. In the past seven days alone, India has added 2,649,808 infections to its tally. As many as 3,786 deaths were also reported today.