UT testing rate 3rd highest in country
12000 rapid test kits also received
Govind Sharma
JAMMU, Apr 18: The testing for COVID-19 began today in Intermediate Reference Laboratory (IRL) of Regional District Tuberculosis Centre (DTC) Jammu, which will further enhance the testing capacity of the Union Territory of J&K as the UT already stands at number 3 in terms of tests conducted per million population when compared with other States/UTs of the country.
Official sources told Excelsior that J&K received 500 catridges for CB NAAT (Cartridge Based Nucleic Acid Amplification Test) machines yesterday. They said these testing kits were distributed equally between DTC Jammu and DTC Srinagar for COVID-19 testing.
While the testing was started today in IRL of DTC Jammu under the supervision of Head, Department of Microbiology, GMC Jammu, Dr Shashi Soodan, and 22 samples were tested there, the testing is likely to be started in DTC Srinagar within a day or two as catrdiges could not reach Kashmir due to bad weather.
Sources said that online training of the IRL staff including technicians to conduct COVID tests on CB NAAT machines was conducted 2-3 days back by a team of Central TB Division, Government of India. They informed that the training session was also attended by Microbiologists of GMC Jammu, GMC Srinagar, SKIMS Beimna and Command Hospital, Udhampur.
They disclosed that within a week or two, Command Hospital Udhampur can also start COVID testing in their CB NAAT machine as the Hospital’s name has been recommended to Government of India for conducting catridge based COVID-19 tests.
They informed that PCR-based testing will continue to be done like before and there will be no compromise. “Catridges based testing in DTC Jammu and Srinagar will only add up to the present recourses of testing and will enhance the testing capacity of the UT, which is already 3rd highest in the country,” they added.
“The testing rate for COVID-19 in J&K is 568 per million, which is much higher as compared to many States and UTs of the country. Only UT of Delhi and Rajasthan are ahead of J&K with testing rate of 1105 and 591 respectively, “sources said citing data of Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
They said, as per the data, J&K detected 31.4 cases per million, which is second highest in the country. This itself is an indicator for the significant screening and target testing of patients, sources added.
Sources further informed that 12000 rapid anti-body testing kits also arrived in J&K today and within a day or two rapid testing will be started both in Jammu and Kashmir provinces. They, however, said rapid test is not a confirmatory test for COVID-19 but it helps in quickly isolating patients and prevents the spread of the virus.
“The test will be done at a large scale to assess the prevalence of COVID-19 in hotspots. The tests will be done at designated points on people with Coronavirus-like symptoms and “super spreaders” like vegetable vendors and grocery store owners, who are likely to be in contact with multiple people.
Financial Commissioner (FC), Health and Medical Education Department, J&K, Atal Dulloo, when contacted, said that they are already doing better than other States/UTs in terms of testing and with start of testing in DTC Jammu and DTC Srinagar, it will be further enhanced.
Dulloo said that rapid testing will also be initiated within a day or two in the UT as they have received first installment of 12000 kits and are hopeful of getting the more next week. He added that a mix of rapid tests and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based tests will help J&K control and manage the coronavirus outbreak more efficiently.
He further informed that they received 2500 PPE kits yesterday and 5000 more have been allocated to them which they will get soon. “We also received about 5000 N-95 masks yesterday which have been distributed equally between both provinces of the UT,” the FC added.
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