State seeks contacts of those diagnosed with Covid-19 based on HRCT

The letter issued by the state health department noted that there are patients whose contacts could be traced as they were treated for Covid-19 based on the symptoms diagnosed on HRTC but were not registered with the local civic body as Covid-19 patients

The state government has issued directives to all civic bodies stating that all details of those undergoing treatment for Covid-19 based on the initially similar symptoms based on the High Resolution Computerized Tomography (HRCT) must be sought from the diagnosis centre or the concerned hospitals.

The letter issued by the state health department noted that there are patients whose contacts could be traced as they were treated for Covid-19 based on the symptoms diagnosed on HRTC but were not registered with the local civic body as Covid-19 patients.

The letter was issued by the department on December 2, 2020 and was issued to all civic bodies and district administrations which says that hospitals and laboratories must note down the name, contact number, address of the concerned person which would be mandatory for them.

The order states that it has also been found that patients are undergoing Covid-19 treatment without a confirmed test which is why following contact tracing could not be done by the local civic authorities which makes it difficult to break the chain.

City doctors also believe that the HRCT is only a suggestive tool and is not 100 per cent accurate.

Dr Vijay Natarajan, chief executive officer (CEO), at the Symbiosis University Hospital and Research Centre (SUHRC) said, “The HRCT is only suggestive and a new development in terms of Covid-19. Although, it has been helpful in some cases as we are looking for pneumonia like symptoms in the lungs. RT-PCR is still considered the gold standard and so based on the radiologist’s expertise of whether a follow up RT-PCR test is required or not, the test is done. The HRCT is just a screening method and based on the involvement of the lungs which show pneumonia like patches in the scan.”

With this order, every suggestive Covid-19 patient found through HRCT must be subjected to an RT-PCR or a Rapid Antigen Testing.