After the state permitted the usage of rapid antigen testing to detect Covid-19 patients, Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) on Thursday claimed it has ordered 10,000 such kits to increase the rate of testing. “We have ordered 10,000 kits which will help in detecting the results within 45 minutes. The tests will help in saving time to decide over a patient’s treatment, “said Pratibha Panpatil, epidemic officer, KDMC.
The test kits will be used in containment zones and hotspots, for those having Covid-19 symptoms as well as the low-risk comorbid contacts of positive patients, pregnant women and cancer patients. The testing will be done free of cost in slums.
As per the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the antigen detection, known as the Standard Q COVID-19 Ag kit, does not require any specialised machine.
The civic body said more kits will be procured in the future depending on the demand.
Currently, KDMC conducts around 500 tests everyday.
“Right now, test results take two-three days and in many cases, the patient dies by then, “said Panpatil.
As per KDMC’s health department, 80% of the cases recorded in Kalyan and Dombivli are asymptomatic. Most of these are cluster cases, like several infected from a single family.