Hyderabad: Covid testing comes to a halt in GHMC limits

Hyderabad: The Covid-19 testing has been halted indefinitely at some centres in GHMC limits like Vanasthalipuram due to the lack of Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) test kits. Notices to this effect were put up at some hospital entrances on Monday.

According to sources, the tests have been halted due to the lack of Kits. The hospital staff which had displayed the notices are clueless as to when they would get the RAT kits.

In Malkajgiri, the testing has come to halt in some centres citing technical reasons. When enquired, the local staff stated that only two lab technicians were doing the tests continuously for the last two weeks and hence a few days break has been taken to give the technicians home quarantine option. They are at the risk of getting infection if continuously exposed to testing without a break, officials said.

Telangana claims to have procured two lakh rapid test kits made by a Korean company under the directions of ICMR. These tests began little over two weeks ago and by now more than 1.5 lakh kits have been used. The remaining stock will be sufficient for the next four to five days going by the daily testing figures which are in the range of 12,000 to 14,000.

It is in this backdrop, instructions have been given to the officials to cut down on daily testing numbers drastically. Centres which used to do more than 100 tests per day were told to limit testing to just about 25 per day. A health official, speaking under condition of anonymity, said that its almost chaos at the testing centres at present.

Meanwhile, people were going in big numbers and standing in queues only to be told that they were conducting only 25 tests per day. This had resulted in heated arguments at some centres. It is said that tests on some people in addition to 25 were being done on the recommendation of political leaders or senior police officials.

Officials stated that they were given instructions to conduct tests for those having symptoms, even if they are primary contacts. If primary contacts was healthy enough and does not possess any virus symptoms he or she would be told to be in home quarantine.