ICMR validates TB testing machine to detect COVID-19

Tuberculosis testing machine would be used for detecting COVID-19, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said on Friday.

The apex medical research body informed, "ICMR has validated Truenat-TM beta CoV test on TruelabTM workstation and has recommended it as a screening test for coronavirus testing."

Earlier, in January, it was reported that the World Health Organisation (WHO) endorsed the latest technology called - Truenat - which was developed by Indian scientist for initial diagnostic test of Tuberculosis and Multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB).

The top medical research body issued guidance on the use of Truenat beta CoV, and said that to conduct the test, a throat/nasal swabs will be collected in the viral transport medium (VTM) with virus lysis buffer provided along with the kit.

"Earlier studies have shown that virus lysis buffer neutralizes Nipah and H1N1 viruses. The results of stability of viral RNA after neutralization of SARS-CoV-2 by virus lysis buffer are awaited from ICMR-NIV (Pune)," it said.

Till such time, Truenat beta CoV test should only be performed with all biosafety precautions in BSL-2 or BSL-3 setups at laboratories.

ICMR will issue the revised guidelines once the results from ICMR-NIV, Pune are available.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Friday informed that India's total number of COVID-19 positive cases now stands at 6,412. Out of these, 5,709 are active patients and 504 of them have been cured/discharged and migrated.

With 30 new deaths reported in the last 12 hours, the death toll has reached 199.