Rapid antigen testing began in Delhi from June 18. (Representation)
New Delhi:
Delhi has carried out more than 9.46 lakh COVID-19 tests to date, with experts attributing the high number to rapid antigenic tests which began last month.
Experts believe the rapid antigen test has changed the scenario of the nation’s capital due to its affordability, faster results, and ability to serve as a rapid diagnostic tool.
Rapid antigen testing began in Delhi from June 18.
The total number of tests conducted in the nation’s capital stands at 9.46,777 so far, which means 49,830 tests per million.
No less than 17,533 tests have been performed in the past 24 hours, including 12,501 rapid antigen tests and 5,032 RT-PCR tests.
Between March 4 and June 4, Delhi performed 2,36,506 COVID-19 tests. According to the figures, this means that after June 4, the nation’s capital carried out nearly seven lakh tests.
Testing numbers have increased since June 18, when testing began in the city using the rapid antigen kits.
Delhi has 56 laboratories – 22 government and 34 private – that perform RT-PCR tests to detect COVID-19.
City laboratories and health experts credit rapid antigen testing with reducing the burden of RT-PCR testing, allowing faster identification of cases and reducing the risk of spreading infection.
Dr Sumit Sharma, dean of the Indian Spinal Injuries Center, said testing played an important role in verifying the spread of cases.
“Asymptomatic patients are detected and isolated now, and symptomatic patients are isolated earlier than before when testing was limited. Early treatment reduced the infection, ”he said.
Rattan Gurnani, senior director of operations and business, City X-Ray and Scan Clinic, said the government has been very aggressive in testing and is ensuring testing is carried out in all containment areas.
“They gave all districts a target, so more tests, better diagnosis, and faster isolation and results. The number of RT-PCR tests went from 700-800 earlier to 400 to 500 per day. “, he told me.
The situation is similar in other laboratories and facilities.
At the Genestrings lab, 1,000 to 1,200 tests were done daily before the rapid antigen test started, but it is now down to 200 tests per day.
According to Chetan Kohli, COO, Seeds of Innocence and Genestrings Lab, rapid antigen testing has also helped labs process samples faster.
“Previously, the time taken to process samples was between 24 and 48 hours, but now it’s 24 hours,” he said.
Dr Rakesh Pandit, senior consultant and HOD, internal medicine, at Akash Hospital, said earlier that the medical facility performs 90 RT-PCR tests per day, 25 of which are said to be positive.
Today, the hospital does 50 to 60 tests a day and only six or seven people test positive.
“Previously the labs were so overcrowded. The wait time was longer and the number of installations was limited. Then there were constraints like an RT-PCR machine cannot do more than 100 tests. But now , more people are covered, ”Mr. Pandit told me.
The number of rapid antigenic tests performed daily is more than double that of RT-PCR tests.
According to the July 24 health bulletin, 5,328 RT-PCR tests were performed in 24 hours, while more than 13,000 antigen tests were performed during the same period.
Speaking about the benefits of rapid antigenic testing, Kohli said test results arrive within 15 to 20 minutes and people have easy access to them thanks to government efforts and the presence of more than 160 centers where people can test them. enjoy. Free.
