Analysis of the COVID-19 testing parameters and progression of the pandemic at the district level- findings from the ICMR- Hundred Million Test (HMT) database during the first wave in India

Int J Infect Dis. 2022 Jun 22:S1201-9712(22)00361-7. doi: 10.1016/j.ijid.2022.06.027. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: India had the second highest number of COVID-19 cases globally. We evaluated the progression of the pandemic across the lockdowns and phased reopening at the district level during the first wave (in India).

METHODS: More than 100 million COVID-19 test results along with other parameters available in the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) database during March-October, 2020, were used for the analysis. The districts were stratified as high, moderate, and low case load districts, and data analysis was done for each phase of lockdown.

FINDINGS: Of the 110.5 million tests included in the analysis, 54.79 million tests were performed using molecular methods, 53.58 million by rapid antigen tests (RATs) and 2.13 million using the indigenous TruNat platform. The proportion of positives among symptomatic individuals (22.6%) was significantly higher than asymptomatic individuals (8.6%). The tests conducted, and proportions of positivity were significantly higher in high caseload districts and 58% of these tests were conducted using molecular methods as opposed to only one-third in low case load districts.

INTERPRETATION: Laboratory parameters, along with other demographic information, can help us better understand the spread of the pandemic in a country. Such information can be crucial to formulate and implement public health policies in any future waves of the pandemic.

PMID:35752375 | PMC:PMC9217685 | DOI:10.1016/j.ijid.2022.06.027