Delhi dispensaries, polyclinics to start Covid-19 rapid antigen tests

The total number of coronavirus positive cases in the national capital reached 1,07,051

Jul 10, 2020 - 11:33
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Delhi dispensaries, polyclinics to start Covid-19 rapid antigen tests


Rapid Antigen Detection tests will be offered by all dispensaries of the Delhi government and polyclinics with immediate effect, the Delhi government announced. Covid-19 rapid antigen tests will be offered from 9 am to 12 noon on all days to all eligible individuals.

"Test-Track-Treat strategy has been adopted to ensure early detection and containment of COVID-19 pandemic. In continuation of measures undertaken by Government of NCT of Delhi to augment COVID-19 testing and to ensure that it is more accessible, it has been decided that Rapid Antigen Detection tests will be offered by all Delhi Govt dispensaries and polyclinics from 9 am to 12 noon on all days to all eligible individuals (as per Annexure). This comes into effect immediately," read an order by Directorate General of Health Services, the Delhi government.

As many as 12,750 rapid antigen tests were conducted in the last 24 hours while 9,719 RT-PCR tests were carried out during the same time, according to official data of the Delhi government.

Since June 18, when COVID-19 testing through the rapid-antigen method started, over three lakh tests have been conducted in Delhi -- around 17,000 tests per day.

Nearly two lakh people have been tested through the antigen kits, according to the Delhi government's health bulletin.

According to health authorities, rapid-antigen testing is an easy and cheaper method as compared to the real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test.

Each testing kit costs ₹450 and can provide results within 30 minutes as compared to RT-PCR test that takes three to four hours.

Delhi reported 2,187 COVID-19 new cases and 45 deaths on Thursday, the total number of positive cases in the national capital reached 1,07,051.