Delhi’s COVID-19 testing remains flat despite govt’s promise: Why testing is so important?

Testing plays a key role in our efforts to contain and mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic by identifying infected individuals to help prevent further person-to-person transmission of COVID-19.

By: Satata Karmakar | | Updated: November 27, 2020 7:34 pm

14.6 करोड़ लोगों का हाल जाना, दो करोड़ की कराई कोरोना जांच : अपर मुख्य सचिव स्वास्थ्य

Despite strong promises made by Delhi and the central government to double the COVID-19 testing in the national capital at the height of the crisis, the city still has not witnessed any increase, with health experts attributing it to lack of manpower and infrastructure. Also Read - Increase your omega-3 intake to reduce death risk due to Covid-19

On November 15, a massive spike in coronavirus cases had prompted Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to announce that his government would increase tests to one lakh. Also Read - Don’t expect to get rid of coronavirus by 2021: WHO warns of continued Covid-19 transmission

Two days later, the central government had also pledged that the testing would be doubled. Despite their word of assurance, the scenario has yet to change. Also Read - Planning for a trip? In-flight spread of coronavirus possible during long-haul travel, says study

COVID-19 TESTS CONDUCTED SO FAR

The city had conducted 64,121 tests on November 11, the highest so far, even before the commitment was made but since then the threshold has not been crossed.

The second-highest number of tests were conducted on Thursday (63,266).

This shows that testing has not peaked even at the time the city is in the chokehold of a third wave of the pandemic.

Dr. RK Gupta, Member of Delhi Covid Committee constituted by the Kejriwal government, remarked, “It is easier to say that the testing will be increased, but the government should appraise how they will increase it. Making promises is easy but it is harder to uphold them. Be it any government, we must not speak beyond our capacity.”

HOW TO INCREASE THE COVID-19 TESTING RATE

The committee member, however, suggested that the tests can be doubled by increasing the manpower, centers, machines, working hours of peoples.

“It can only be done by using the capacity which is not being used at present. This is the only way.

“If a centre is testing from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., the working hours should be increased by inducing more manpower.”

The former head of the epidemiology and communicable diseases at the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Dr Lalit Kant resonated with a similar opinion and attributed it to manpower and infrastructural constraints, which he said will take some more time to overcome.

He, however, said that a new testing method, with more sensitivity, which will be rolled out by the IIT-Delhi in the coming weeks will help in ramping up the testing. “Once it is available, results will be available in six hours-time. They are going to introduce it in a couple of weeks. It is as good as RT-PCR,” Dr. Kant further said.

POOL TESTING – WHAT IS IT?

On being asked whether pool testing, in which samples of throat swabs of several individuals are mixed together and tested, should be adopted at this point, Dr. Kant said that methodology works better when the prevalence rate is very low, which is not the case in Delhi.

Delhi is in the clutches of the third wave since October 28, when the daily rise in infections breached the 5,000-mark for the first time. It has witnessed 2,364 deaths in just a month since.

While 131 COVID-related deaths were recorded on November 18, the highest to date on a day, Delhi registered its highest single-day spike of 8,593 cases on November 11.

Health experts have attributed the surge in deaths to late hospitalization, shortage of ICU beds, winter season, and rise in pollution levels are.

WHY TESTING FOR COVID-19 IS SO IMPORTANT?

It’s crucial of course to help treat, isolate, or hospitalize people who are infected. Testing also is important in the bigger public health picture on mitigation efforts, helping investigators characterize the prevalence, spread, and contagiousness of the disease.

So, here are the two things that testing can help:

The results of your COVID-19 test, along with other information, can help your healthcare provider make informed decisions about your care.
Being tested for COVID-19 may help limit the spread of COVID-19 to your family and others in your community.

TOTAL COVID-19 CASES IN INDIA RISEN TO 93 LAKH

Today is the 249th day since India implemented a nationwide lockdown to help curb the novel coronavirus pandemic. So far, India has recorded 93,09,787 confirmed COVID-19 cases, including 1,35,715 deaths. A total of 87,18,517 people have recuperated from COVID-19 so far. There are 4,55,555 active cases in the country as of date, which comprises 4.89 percent of the total caseload, the data stated. Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka have reported the highest number of cases. However, infections are rising rapidly in states like Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. India’s recovery rate continues to rise and now stands at 93.65 percent. Globally, more than 6.08 crore people have been infected by the coronavirus and 14.29 lakh have died so far.

(With inputs from Agencies)

Published : November 27, 2020 7:33 pm | Updated:November 27, 2020 7:34 pm

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