BMC releases new revised guidelines for testing amidst the coronavirus crisis

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) took to Twitter and issued newer revised testing guidelines in light of the rising number of coronavirus cases in Mumbai. In the revised guidelines, BMC has made the COVID-19 test mandatory for pregnant women who are likely to deliver in the next five days, while at the same time stating that the test is not mandatory for emergency surgery.

Revised Testing Guidelines
-COVID test not mandatory for emergency surgery
-All pregnant women(even asymptomatic)likely to deliver in next 5 days to be tested
-COVID test not mandatory for treating haemodialysis patients
-Prescription of pvt/gov medical practitioners will suffice pic.twitter.com/eNVKX2cnRc

— माझी Mumbai, आपली BMC (@mybmc) May 27, 2020

As per the civic body, the testing of mild, very mild, pre-symptomatic positive patients shall not be required before discharge if no symptoms are seen on the 7th, 8th, and 9th days consecutively. While moderate symptomatic patients need not be tested before discharge if they have recovered clinically, testing is required once in the case of discharge pertaining to critical patients.

According to the new revised guidelines, all the symptomatic people (fever, cough, difficulty in breathing) within 14 days of travel should be tested along with all the asymptomatic people who came in contact with the confirmed cases. Health workers who show symptoms must be tested, all hospital patients with acute respiratory illness shall be tested even if asymptomatic.

Furthermore, pregnant women residing in containment areas or in large migration gatherings/evacuees centre from hotspot districts in labour or likely to deliver in the next five days should be tested even if asymptomatic. All symptomatic patients identified in - SARI clinics, fever clinics, OPD in hospitals shall be tested.

The BMC also added that, only if there is a strong suspicion of COVID-19 in persons requiring elective surgery or surgery which can wait for 48 hours, the doctor can ask for the COVID-19 test. However, no emergency surgeries should be denied to the patient for want of COVID-19 test. For patients who have to undergo regular haemodialysis, test for COVID-19 should not be asked as a routine before every procedure and only if there is a strong suspicion of the person requiring dialysis being affected with COVID-19, then a test for the coronavirus may be prescribed.