ICMR: Delhi utilizing solely 35% of lab capability for Covid

NEW DELHI: The Indian Council of Medical Analysis has cautioned the Delhi authorities that solely 35% of laboratory capability is being utilised for testing Covid-19 instances.

In a letter to Delhi’s chief secretary Vijay Dev dated June 15, ICMR director common Balram Bhargava requested the federal government to “totally make the most of current RT-PCR testing capability in Delhi and in addition scale up testing in containment zones by deployment of speedy antigen detection exams assay together with RT-PCR”. This can allow early detection and containment of an infection, which in flip would save a number of lives, wrote Bhargava.

Presently, Delhi has a complete of 42 RT-PCR/TrueNat and CBNAT Covid testing labs in private and non-private sectors. As well as, there may be excessive throughput cobas system now at the Nationwide Centre for Illness Management in Delhi.

The general testing capability of Delhi stood at greater than 17,000 samples on Tuesday.

“Nevertheless, as per information entered into the ICMR portal, solely 35% of the lab capability is being utilized, leading to testing of as much as 6,000 samples per day,” Bhargava mentioned within the letter.