COVID-19 test reports must be sent to patients via WhatsApp, rules Bombay HC

The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court on Saturday directed authorities that COVID-19 test results must be given to patients immediately through WhatsApp and hard copies before waiting for them to be uploaded on the ICMR website.

A division bench of Justices ZA Haq and MA Borkar, hearing a Suo-moto PIL, added that once a COVID-19 patient is given the report, it should be uploaded on the website within 24 hours, while a negative report may be uploaded within seven days.

The bench said appropriate action should be taken against those who do not follow the court’s order. “If these directions are not complied with by laboratories, the authorities are free to take appropriate action against the concerned labs, as deemed fit by them,” it ruled.

The court was hearing a Suo-moto PIL, along with a bunch of pleas and applications filed to deal with the rapid increase in COVID-19 cases in Nagpur and consequent lapse in the infrastructure.

Intervenor Dr Mukesh Chandak pointed out the difficulties faced by patients in getting their RT-PCR test results in time. He claimed that the delay of nearly 4-5 days in getting the reports was due to labs insisting on first uploading it on the Indian Council of Medical Research portal, which takes time owing to a slow server.

SP Bhandarkar and advocate Tushar Mehta suggested that the reports, whether positive or negative may be sent to the patients on WhatsApp and a hard copy shall also be made available soon. The uploading of the reports on the website may be done thereafter.

The court then directed authorities to make reports available to positive patients immediately via WhatsApp and upload the results on the portal within 24 hours.

Maharashtra reels under COVID-19

Maharashtra on Saturday reported 67,123 fresh coronavirus cases, its highest single-day increase so far, taking the tally to 37,70,707, the state health department said. Besides, 419 deaths due to the pandemic were reported in the state, which pushed the death toll to 59,970.

The Nagpur division registered 11,724 new cases, including 5,126 in Nagpur city, 2,358 in the rest of the Nagpur district and 1,218 from the Bhandara district. The division also reported 43 casualties of which 23 were in Nagpur city and 11 in the rest of the district.