Second RT-PCR machine installed in the city

Chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Saturday inaugurated the second reverse transcription- polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test machine in Civil Hospital, sector

Chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Saturday inaugurated the second reverse transcription- polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test machine in Civil Hospital, sector 10, via video conferencing.

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With this, the Gurugram government lab’s capacity to test the Sars-CoV-2 virus nucleic material, which causes Covid-19, will rise to 500 samples a day from 200. RT-PCR testing is the gold standard frontline test for Covid-19. Seven private labs in the can conduct up to 500 to 600 RT-PCR tests a day.

“The results will be delivered in 24 hours. If required, we can test up to 700 samples every day,” said Dr. Virender Yadav, Gurugram chief medical officer.

On Saturday, 2345 samples were collected, of which 1789 were taking by health department, including the antigen test. At least 556 samples for RT-PCR were taken by private labs. Since March, more than 60,000 people in the city have been tested for Covid-19.

“Since June 24, more than 30,000 tests have been conducted in the city,” said Yadav. Out of them, 16,109 samples were through antigen detection kits, while the remaining 13, 891 are being tested through RT-PCR in both government and private labs. Testing has increased in the last two weeks. Earlier, on an average 1000-1500 tests were being done in a day, which this week increased to almost 3000.

Gurugram initially sent its samples to All India Institute of Medical Sciences ( AIIMS) Delhi for testing. As the cases increased, samples were getting tested in PGIMS -Rohtak, Sonepat Medical College, and private labs too.