CT scan positive cases don’t make it to Karnataka’s pandemic data

BENGALURU: Those with test negative for Covid-19 through the RT-PCR method, but show positive for the disease in a CT scan are treated for SARS-COV-2 infection, but they are excluded from the state government’s bulletin on pandemic cases. The reason: The government’s data is based only on lab reports. Officials admit that to that extent, government statistics on the pandemic are inaccurate.

The state had issued a circular mandating a CT scan for those who show symptoms, but test negative through RT-PCR. The circular was to root out false negatives by correlating clinical features, CT thorax findings and laboratory investigations.

If the clinical assessment correlates, then such cases are considered as proxy syndrome. The health department said such cases can be termed ‘Covid-19-like illness’ or ‘Covid-19-probable cases’.

Based on the clinical assessment, a unique ‘reporting and data’ (CORAD) score is attributed to such cases. A score of 4 indicates suspected infection, 5 is typical of Covid and 6 is equal to RT-PCR positive.

“These cases are considered severe acute respiratory illness (SARI) with Covid-like infection,” staff at a general hospital in Bengaluru said. “The government doesn’t consider them Covid cases, but at least 10 such patients were put on remdesivir and they responded well.”

Dr V Ravi, member of the state Covid task force and senior professor and head of neurovirology lab in Nimhans, admitted the number of cases officially reported could be just the tip of the iceberg. “The state’s Covid data is based on lab reports as per an ICMR mandate,” he said.

When contacted Pankaj Kumar Pandey, commissioner, health and family welfare department, said, “It’s a valid point raised. We should consider them as Covid cases and report them separately in a column in the bulletin. I will look into it.”