There are several reports of Ct values of RT PCR assays for COVID 19 being associated with disease severity and infectivity. We studied the correlation between Ct values and disease severity and mortality at our hospital;. All patients with RT PCR diagnosed COVID 19 illness admitted at the study site and for whom Ct values were available were included in the study. The patients with mild disease had significantly lower Ct values than patients with severe disease but had also been tested significantly earlier in the illness than those with severe disease. The patients who died had significantly lower Ct values than patients who survived but here again they had significantly shorter duration of symptoms before testing. We therefore recommend that the time of testing since onset of symptoms should be controlled for while correlating Ct values with disease severity.

Healthcare worker (HCW) infections due to COVID-19 are of serious consequence. Testing for antibodies against COVID-19 in HCWs has been previously recommended. We conducted a serosurvey in HCWs at a private hospital in Mumbai which is treating COVID patients. A total of 244 HCWs were tested. The prevalence of infection in asymptomatic HCWs was 4.3% and in previously symptomatic untested HCWs was 70%. We recommend that HCWs with a previous history of COVID symptoms who were not tested/tested negative by reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction should be tested for antibodies at least 2 weeks after onset of symptoms.

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