Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (MS)

Bengaluru, Apr 8: State health department, which has the enormous responsibility of containing the Covid-19 virus and also administering necessary treatment to the infected people, has one more concern now. The delay in RTPCR test report is causing a big hurdle in handling the situation.

Earlier the RTPCR test reports used to arrive within 24 to 48 hours. However, now they are not available even after three days. This has a negative impact on the process of identifying people who were in contact with the infected person. If the test report arrives in the minimum given time, then the identification of secondary infected people would be easy. This is called as Golden time. This way the health department can contain the spread of the pandemic.

Speaking on the subject, a senior government doctor said, "Now the RTPCR test reports are reaching us only after three days. In some districts, results are given after four days. This is inordinate delay and will hamper the containing of spread of pandemic."

Dr C N Manjunath, director of Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Science and Research organization, said, "A resident of Austin town in the city had given the swab samples of two of his children at 11 am on April 2 at one of the PHC centers. They were in quarantine after giving the samples. However, as the test report did not arrive even after two days, they thought that the report must be negative and started roaming around freely. But to their utter dismay their report showed positive on the next day.

"Every day we see such instances. Around one lac people are being tested for Covid in Karnataka every day. There is expectation of increasing this number in coming days. Test results should not get delayed."

Education expert and member of emergency response team Ameen A Mudassar said, "We have faced many questions with regards to the arrival of RTPCR test reports on our website. In many cases those who have given swab samples have not received any communication even after four or five days. This results in delay of treatment and also increases the chances of more spread of the pandemic. If the test results are available on time, then the volunteers helps in getting the people tested and also identifying beds."

Giving clarification on the reason for delay in arrival of test reports, district health officers of Chitradurga say that the delay occurs due to non-availability of vehicles in taluk centers. The samples that are collected in Nagasamudra, Rampura and Srirampura take more than 24 hours to reach laboratory in Chitradurga.

Throwing more light on the subject, Dr Tulasi Ranganath, district vigilance officer of Chitradurga said, "District administrations have to recruit more technicians. They have to provide three vehicles to bring samples from taluk centers. This will help in getting the test done quickly and also to get the results fast."

Public health expert says, "Delay in mandatory report has set back many activities and rise in the infections. There is increase in number of samples that are being collected. But the number of technicians and virologists is the same. It seems that we have not learnt any lesson even after the first wave."

In the district of Udupi it takes four days for the results to arrive. This causes anxiety among people who are in quarantine say the doctors.

Health minister Dr Sudhakar said, "Primary and secondary contacts of Covid patients should wear masks and separate themselves from the patient. Reports generally take two or three days. I will look into the districts where there is inordinate delay."