India's Covid testing numbers crosses 3 lakh; total cases rise to 13,887, 437 deaths

Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the apex medical body monitoring the spread of COVID-19 in India, on Friday in a statement said that a total of 3,02,956 samples from 2,86,714 individuals have been tested till 9 pm on April 15. It said that 12,581 individuals have been confirmed positive among suspected cases and contacts of known positive cases in India. The statement added that until 9 pm, 27,256 samples were reported in the past 24 hours out of which over 1200 were positive for COVID-19.

ICMR: 12,581 individuals have been confirmed positive

Meanwhile, with 1,007 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, India's coronavirus tally crossed the 13,000 mark with the tally reading at 13,387 cases, said the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in its latest update on Friday. Out of the total tally, 11,201 patients are active cases while 1,789 patients have been cured, discharged and migrated. With 23 more deaths reported in the last 24 hours, the death toll has risen to 437.

India's COVID-19 testing ratio not low

Refuting allegations that India is not conducting enough COVID-19 tests, the Health Ministry said on Thursday the testing ratio is not low and in a country with such a huge population "not all people belong to vulnerable groups".

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Responding to a question about Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleging that the scale of testing in India has been low so far at 199 per 10 lakh people, the chief of Epidemiology and Communicable diseases at the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Dr Raman R Gangakhedkar said for each positive case the country tests 24 people.

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"In countries like Japan, one out of 11.7 tests turns out to be positive, which is among the highest in the world. Italy tests 6.7 persons for one positive test while the USA tests 5.3 persons and the United Kingdom 3.4," he said during a daily press briefing on the country's COVID-19 situation.

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"Taking their population base into consideration, it is difficult to comment about our testing rate. In India, we are conducting 24 tests out of which one comes out to be positive. Also, we have a huge population and not all people belong to vulnerable groups. Hence, can't say our testing ratio is low," Dr Gangakhedkar said.

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(With agency inputs)