Almost 40% of all people who tested positive for coronavirus (Covid-19) in all age groups were found to be asymptomatic, according to data from the Institute of Medical Sciences of India. The data was presented while discussing the sensitivity and use of various screening tests by physicians at the recent National Grand Rounds, a virtual platform for physicians from across the country to discuss recent trends and issues in managing Covid. -19.
At 73.5%, the highest proportion of asymptomatic cases was reported among children under 12 years of age. The proportion decreased linearly with age, and only 38.4% of the cases among those older than 80 years were asymptomatic.
“These are the data of our center. Relevance arises when we question the validity of an RT PCR test. Since there are no symptoms in many of the patients, we do not know what day we are taking them, ”said Dr. Urvashi Singh, professor in the department of microbiology at AIIMS.
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Data from the center showed that the most common symptoms of Covid-19 were fever, fatigue and loss of smell.
Reviewing the current screening tests available on the market, the doctors said that CBNAAT or TrueNat, which are rapid molecular tests based on cartridges or chips, are beneficial for semi-emerging patients.
“In emergency cases, you should proceed thinking that the person is positive and take all precautions. However, in case of semi-emergency, CBNAAT and TrueNat are good tests that can give accurate results quickly and can help decide if surgery should be performed at the Covid-19 center, ”said Dr. Randeep Guleria, director of AIIMS.
Doctors also added that there were benefits of the less sensitive rapid antigen test, as it can quickly help detect a positive person in the hospital emergency and allow rapid treatment, as in the case of a 65-year-old who arrived. with sepsis. to hospital.
“Rapid antigen testing is a good tool for early detection and diagnosis that can help triage patients in emergency situations and allow rapid management. This is especially true in the center of low-resource settings, ”said Dr. Pawan Tiwari, assistant professor in the AIIMS department of pulmonology.
The Indian Council for Medical Research recommends molecular testing as the preferred method in the hospital setting.
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