Tag: Covid-19 test

COVID vs flu: How to differentiate, when to go for RT-PCR & other questions answered

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

Seasonal flu might have impacted COVID-19 testing, some experts say. Daily coronavirus cases in India remain low, being reported only in the hundreds for a few months now. But fresh outbreaks and surges in other countries have concerned citizens, health experts and the government alike. In the past, many blamed India’s COVID-19 testing pattern for its low numbers. Is this the case right now? And how is the seasonal flu playing out?

Here are some answers that you may be looking for, but first the numbers:

COVID-19 in India: Numbers at glance (as of Jan 10)

(Source: Union Health Ministry/PIB)

What are the 3 challenges to COVID-19 testing?

1.Common symptoms

As the COVID-19 virus mutated over time, the symptoms became milder. When the outbreak was first reported, symptoms, including headache, fatigue, cough, cold, muscle pain, breathlessness and loss of smell/taste, strongly hinted at COVID-19 infection. An RT-PCR test would then confirm and eliminate the case.

ALSO READ| A fact check on COVID-19 symptoms — Does muscle pain, dry mouth, skipping meals indicate infection

But, as the COVID-19 symptoms got milder with the Omicron variant becoming dominant across the world, it became more difficult to differentiate a COVID-19 infection from the common flu. At this point, many even started treating COVID-19 like the flu — which should not be happening.

According to the doctors, an RT-PCR test is the only way to be sure if someone has a COVID-19 infection. “If you want to confirm COVID, take RT-PCR. On a clinical basis, we can’t say if a person has the infection.” Dr B.K. Dubey told CNBCTV-18.com.

ALSO READ | COVID-19: India detects 11 new Omicron sub-variants in international travellers

2. False negative and false positive

A false negative is when a person shows symptoms, but the test report is negative. False positive is when a person does not show symptoms and test reports come out to be positive. Many false negative and false positive cases have been reported causing plenty of confusion, Dr Dubey said.

3. General reluctance

“People are not even getting tested unless there is a major doubt,” Dr R.K. Mehra, Medical Superintendent and consultant at Aakash Medical Centre, said.

A few months back, when daily COVID-19 numbers were fluctuating in India, Dr Chandrakant Lahariya had said: “It may have been a reflection of testing patterns — at a testing level and at an individual level. When cases rise, people start testing themselves and when the cases are low, people do not test themselves. Similarly, if you increase the testing numbers, you’ll get a higher number of people. This minor variation will continue being there,” he had said.

But, is COVID-19 testing really an issue?

Not as of now. Dr Mehra said the disease is not that prevalent right now. However, there might be an outbreak in a month or so, but the impact might be low.

What to do if you have symptoms common to COVID and the flu?

If you are showing flu symptoms such as fever, headache muscle pain, cough and runny nose, Dr Dubey advises not to immediately go for an RT-PCR. First, consult a doctor and take medication.

“Patients are recovering in three to five days. If you want to confirm whether it’s COVID-19 or not, take an RT-PCR test,” he said. Notably, deaths and hospitalisation due to COVID-19 in India have been low for a few months now.

How to differentiate between a common cold and COVID-19

There are three ways to find out this:

• First, note that there are a few symptoms which are exclusive to COVID-19. This includes loss of smell and taste. Moreover, the drop in oxygen level is “more common” COVID-pneumonia, Dr Jha says.
• Second, COVID-19 symptoms do not show regression in 1-3 days. It takes 5-7 days for the symptoms to go away — unlike in case of the common flu where the symptom (fever) appears in a day or two and regresses eventually.
• The third is the RT-PCR or any other COVID-19 test. Since it is difficult to differentiate between the common cold and COVID-19, people are recommended to take the COVID-19 test to know for sure.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

New nanoparticle-based rapid COVID-19 test is more sensitive, durable

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

Scientists have developed a more sensitive and durable rapid COVID-19 test that uses polymer nanoparticles, rather than antibodies, to detect the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Rapid antigen tests can quickly and conveniently tell a person that they are positive for COVID-19. However, because antibody-based tests are not very sensitive, they can fail to detect early infections with low viral loads.

The test, described in the journal ACS Sensors, works under more extreme conditions than antibody-based tests.

The gold standard test for COVID-19 diagnosis remains the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Although this test is highly sensitive and specific, it generally takes 1-2 days to get a result, is expensive and requires special lab equipment and trained personnel.

In contrast, rapid antigen tests are fast — usually taking 15-30 minutes — and people can take them at home with no training, the researchers said.
However, they lack sensitivity, which sometimes results in false negatives, they said. The tests use antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 for detection, which can’t withstand wide ranges of temperature and pH.

The researchers at Newcastle University in the UK and colleagues wanted to make a low-cost, rapid, robust and highly sensitive COVID-19 test that uses molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles (nanoMIPs) instead of antibodies. They produced nanoMIPs against a small fragment, or peptide, of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein by creating molecular imprints, or molds, in the nanoparticles.

These nanoscale binding cavities had a suitable size and shape to recognise and bind the imprinted peptide and, therefore, the entire protein.
The researchers attached the nanoparticles that bound most strongly to the peptide to printed electrodes.

After showing that the nanoMIPs could bind SARS-CoV-2, they developed a 3D-printed prototype device that detects binding of the virus by measuring changes in temperature.

When the team added samples from seven patient nasopharyngeal swabs to the device, the liquid flowed over the electrode, and the researchers detected a change in temperature for samples that had previously tested positive for COVID-19 by RT-PCR.

The test required only 15 minutes, and preliminary results indicated that it could detect a 6,000-times lower amount of SARS-CoV-2 than a commercial rapid antigen test.

Unlike antibodies, the nanoMIPs withstood warm temperatures — which could give the test a longer shelf life in hot climates — and acidic pH — which might make it useful for monitoring SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater and saliva samples.

However, to prove that the test has a lower false negative rate than existing rapid antigen tests, it must be tested on many more patient samples, the researchers said.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Omicron: Scindia calls high-level meeting on overcrowding at Delhi airport

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

Taking cognizance of the mismanagement of the crowd at Delhi airport that created a chaotic situation during the weekend, Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia called a high-level meeting today.

Officials from Delhi airport, Airport Authority of India (AAI), Immigration and COVID testing lab companies were invited to attend the meeting, according to ministry officials.

“Taking cognizance of the mismanagement of crowd at Delhi Airport resulting in a chaotic situation, Union Civil Aviation Minister called a high-level meeting today comprising of officials from Delhi Airport, AAI, Immigration and COVID testing lab company: MoCA officials,” ANI tweeted today.

As the airports have tightened guidelines for travel from at-risk countries, Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) was facing the issue of overcrowding. People were seen standing in long queues and the staff were grappling to handle the crowd.

“Airport and Civil aviation authorities should handle such situations more intelligently. And it’s not rocket science. There are solutions to handle much bigger crowds then airport gatherings. But someone having decision making power have to take interest in it. @JM_Scindia,” Delhi minister Manish Sisodia tweeted on Sunday.

Airport and Civil aviation authorities should handle such situations more intelligently. And it’s not rocket science. There are solutions to handle much bigger crowds then airport gatherings. But someone having decision making power have to take interest in it. @JM_Scindia https://t.co/k4pE8TR1e0

— Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) December 5, 2021

RPG Enterprises Chairman Harsh Goenka also tweeted a picture of crowded Delhi airport on Sunday.

“Scenes yesterday at Delhi airport #Covid hotspot,” Goenka tweeted.
The airport witnessed long queues and chaos as a huge crowd could be seen gathered in the lobby and waiting areas.

Scenes yesterday at Delhi airport #Covid hotspot pic.twitter.com/SoM6RNumYO

— Harsh Goenka (@hvgoenka) December 5, 2021

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Air travellers to US set to face tougher COVID-19 testing

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

The US is moving to require that all air travelers entering the country show a negative COVID-19 test performed within one day of departure in response to concerns about a new coronavirus variant, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said late on Tuesday.

Currently, vaccinated international air travelers can present a negative test result obtained within three days from their point of departure. Nearly all foreign nationals must be vaccinated to enter the United States. Unvaccinated travelers currently must get a negative COVID-19 test within one day of arrival.

The new one-day testing requirement would apply equally to U.S. citizens as well as foreign nationals.

Reuters reported earlier that a draft proposal was circulating among government agencies for the stricter testing requirement.

A CDC spokeswoman confirmed the agency is working to modify its global testing rules for travel “as we learn more about the Omicron variant; a revised order would shorten the timeline for required testing for all international air travelers to one day before departure to the United States.”

The administration is also considering whether to require air travelers to get another COVID-19 test within three to five days after arrival in the United States, officials said.

The CDC did not confirm that, but noted it continues to recommend all “travelers should get a COVID-19 viral test 3-5 days after arrival” and “post-travel quarantine for any unvaccinated travelers.”

The stricter rules could be announced Thursday, but it was not clear when they might take effect.

CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said the agency “is evaluating how to make international travel as safe as possible, including pre-departure testing closer to the time of flight and considerations around additional post-arrival testing and self-quarantines.”

On Monday, the White House barred nearly all foreign nationals who have recently been in South Africa and seven other southern African countries over concerns about the Omicron variant.

A White House official said earlier Tuesday the administration is evaluating COVID-19 measures “including considering more stringent testing requirements for international travel.”

On Tuesday, the CDC advised Americans against travel to Niger, Papua New Guinea, Poland, and Trinidad and Tobago, citing COVID-19 concerns.

The CDC now lists about 80 foreign destinations as having “Level Four,” its highest level of COVID-19 transmission, and discourages Americans from traveling to those destinations.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

As efficient as RT-PCR test, this face mask can detect COVID-19 in 90 minutes

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

A new face mask has been developed which can detect if the wearer has COVID-19 infection — in a matter of 90 minutes. Engineers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard University have developed the mask, which is embedded with cellular sensors to detect the presence of SARS CoV-2.

The new mask was developed as part of a study using freeze-dried synthetic sensors used to diagnose viruses like Ebola and Zika through paper diagnostics, which is an inexpensive technology. It detects traces of microbes through a colour change blot. The study found that the sensors could even be used on clothing or equipment.

James Collins, professor in MIT and the study’s senior author said, “We’ve demonstrated that we can freeze-dry a broad range of synthetic biology sensors to detect viral or bacterial nucleic acids, as well as toxic chemicals, including nerve toxins. We envision that this platform could enable next-generation wearable biosensors for first responders, healthcare personnel, and military personnel.”

The researchers freeze-dried synthetic gene networks made out of reactive proteins and nucleic acids. These gene networks remain stable for months as a result of freeze-drying and react to specific target molecules, like the viral RNA from SARS CoV-2, and produce chemical reactions like changing their colour. The freeze-dried components are then embedded into small sections of synthetic fabric with a ring of silicone elastomer surrounding them, to prevent the evaporation or diffusion of the sensors. The sensors are placed on the inside of the mask to detect viral particles in the breath of the mask wearer.

When the wearer of the mask is ready to perform a test, a small amount of water is released from the mask through a button press. The water hydrates the freeze-dried sensors, which then analyses the breath droplets inside the mask and produces a result within 90 minutes.

Peter Nguyen, research scientist at Harvard, and study lead, said, “This test is as sensitive as the gold standard, highly sensitive PCR tests, but it’s as fast as the antigen tests that are used for quick analysis of COVID-19.”

“Through these demonstrations we have essentially shrunk down the functionality of state-of-the-art molecular testing facilities into a format compatible with wearable scenarios across a variety of applications,” added Luis Soenksen, fellow lead author and venture builder at MIT’s Abdul Latif Jameel Clinic.

The researchers have filed a patent for their invention and will be looking to partner with companies to further develop their sensors and masks.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Tamil Nadu govt slashes RT-PCR test rates in pvt labs to Rs 900

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

The Tamil Nadu government on Thursday issued an order reducing the price of RT-PCR test conducted in private laboratories in the state to Rs 900 from Rs 1,200.

According to the GO issued by the health department, RT-PCR tests conducted at government laboratories under the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme have been revised to Rs 550 from the existing Rs 800, and for pooled samples it has been fixed at Rs 400 from the current Rs 600.

For private laboratories taking up RT-PCR testing, the revised rate is Rs 900, it said. Tamil Nadu has conducted over 2.50 crore RT-PCR samples since the onset of pandemic last year.

On Thursday, the testing of samples reached an all time high of 1,71,094.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

ICMR advises against indiscriminate COVID-19 home testing using RAT kit

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

The ICMR Wednesday advised against indiscriminate COVID-19 home testing using Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs), saying it should be used only on symptomatic individuals and on the immediate contacts of laboratory confirmed positive cases.

All individuals who test positive through the RAT kit may be considered as true positives and no repeat testing is required, the Indian Council of Medical Research said in an advisory. “Home testing by RAT is advised only in symptomatic individuals and immediate contacts of laboratory confirmed positive cases. Indiscriminate testing is not advised,” the county’s apex health research body said. “All symptomatic individuals who test negative by RAT should get themselves immediately tested by RT-PCR. This is especially important as the RATs are likely to miss few positive cases presenting with a low viral load. “All RAT negative symptomatic individuals may be treated as suspect COVID-19 cases and are advised to follow the ICMR/Ministry of Health home isolation protocol while awaiting the RT-PCR test result,” the advisory stated.

Home testing should be conducted as per the procedure described by the manufacturer in the user manual. The ICMR said the home testing mobile app is available in Google play store and Apple store and must be downloaded by all users. The mobile app is a comprehensive guide of the testing procedure and will provide a positive or negative test result to the patient. All users are advised to click a picture of the test strip after completing the test procedure with the same mobile phone which has been used for downloading the mobile app and user registration. “Data in the app of your mobile phone will be centrally captured in a secure server which is connected with the ICMR COVID-19 testing portal, where all data will be eventually stored. Patient confidentiality will be fully maintained,” the advisory underlined.

Presently, CoviSelfTM(PathoCatch) COVID-19 OTC Antigen LF device manufactured by Mylab Discovery Solutions Ltd., Pune (Maharashtra), India has been validated and approved, the apex health research body said.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Mumbai airport introduces express COVID-19 testing facility, gives results in 13 minutes

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

The city’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) on Tuesday said it has introduced a new 24X7 COVID-19 testing facility, which gives test results in flat 13 minutes at a cost of Rs 4,500. Since its launch on December 15, CSMIA has witnessed an average of 30-35 such tests per day,CSMIA said in a release.

A total of400 express tests have been carried out at the airport till December 28, which include passengers who had connecting flights to destinations outside Maharashtra, it said. In compliance with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) standards, CSMIA is the first airport to adopt the express test method by Abbott ‘ID Now, which is aimed at providing arriving passengers with quick and accurate diagnosis, CSMIA said in the release.

The round-the-clock testing facility option is available for all international arriving passengers at the airport at a cost of Rs 4,500, CSMIA said. The rapid molecular testing technology by Abbott is a tool to help fight the pandemic by allowing fast, highly sensitive and accurate diagnosis, the private airport operator said.

The test reduces the wait time for reports and provides early detection of the virus in time for passengers to take necessary measures to prevent disease transmission, thereby, creating a safer environment for travellers and airport staff, it said. Passengers can also opt for a regular RT-PCR test which takes around 6-8 hours for the result, CSMIA added.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Recently-arrived UK passengers being traced, tested; quarantine facility at LNJP

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

The Delhi government on Tuesday said people who have arrived here from the UK recently are being traced and tested, while an institutional quarantine facility is being set up for positive cases at the LNJP Hospital amid mounting concern over a new strain of the virus detected in that country.

All passengers arriving from the UK are being tested for COVID-19 at the Delhi airport, Health Minister Satyendar Jain told reporters.

Sources said an institutional quarantine facility is being created at the LNJP Hospital in an isolated area away from the main COVID wards, for UK passengers testing positive at the airport. Jain, earlier in the day, said Delhi has fought difficult battles with COVID-19 and all efforts will be made to ensure that the improvement made in the management of the pandemic is “not reversed”.

“The Delhi government is on alert in the wake of a mutated coronavirus strain detected in the UK. The situation is being closely monitored and mandatory tests are being conducted at the Delhi airport for all passengers arriving from that country,” he said. The Civil Aviation Ministry on Monday said all flights from the UK to India and vice versa will remain suspended from Wednesday to December 31 in view of the emergence of a mutated variant of coronavirus there.

Six passengers travelling on Air India’s London-Delhi flight tested positive for COVID-19 on arrival, a senior government official earlier said on Tuesday. The flight landed around 11.30 pm on Monday. In the last two weeks, about 6,000-7,000 people have landed at Delhi airport, many of whom would have travelled to other places like Punjab from thereon, Jain said.

“We will go house-to-house and do check-up of passengers to assess their condition and also advise them to isolate themselves for some time,” he said. Later in a statement issued by the health department, Jain was quoted as saying, “people who travelled to Delhi from the UK in the past 10 days are being traced, tested and advised quarantine”.

“Our strategy for this is that we will identify all those who are based out of Delhi in the past two weeks and conduct door-to-door testing for them,” he said. A senior official said in the South-West district about 85 people are there who have returned from the UK since December 7 and they have been contacted and put under observation though no one has been found positive.

Another senior Delhi government officer said all the instructions of the central government regarding arrival of passengers from the UK is being followed. Adequate teams have been deputed at district levels for door-to-door tracing to ensure testing of the passengers who have arrived in Delhi from the UK in the recent weeks. The government has also designated a five-star hotel in Aerocity area as a paid quarantine facility for the passengers arriving at Indira Gandhi International Airport from the UK, he said.

Sources said passengers coming from the UK are being administered RT-PCR tests at the airport. Anyone testing negative but with symptoms will be kept in institutional isolation and those testing negative will also be asked to go into self-isolation for seven days, they said. People travelling on international flights are required to carry a test report with them.

Jain has also appealed to those who have recently come from the UK to monitor their health and go for tests at the slightest of COVID-like symptoms and inform the government. Asked about the threat of the new virus strain entering Delhi, he said, “Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had appealed to the Centre to close flights from the UK and it had been done. So, we are doing everything possible to contain the spread”.

A new vaccine is being prepared to treat COVID-19, he said. Asked if the new strain could negate its efficacy, he said, “Only scientists and ICMR can comment on it”.

“Only ICMR will be able to test and clarify the differences and ways of detection, owing to its scientific nature. We will still be conducting tests because Delhi has successfully combated the third wave of coronavirus and we wouldn’t want anything to hamper our success,” he said. “The new strain is more contagious and as seen in the UK is spreading at a fast rate. Therefore, we are taking all proper decisions to not let the new strain affect Delhi,” he added.

Delhi recorded 939 fresh COVID-19 cases and 25 new fatalities on Tuesday, even as the positivity rate slipped to 1.14 per cent, authorities said. The infection tally in the city mounted to over 6.18 lakh and the death toll rose to 10,329, they said.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Amit Shah inaugurates SpiceJet promoters’ mobile RT-PCR lab in Delhi; tests to cost Rs 499

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday launched a mobile laboratory that will conduct RT-PCR tests for COVID-19 in New Delhi at an affordable rate of Rs 499 and the results will be available in six hours.

The Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) testing mobile laboratory, a joint initiative of the SpiceHealth and the government, came up after Shah stepped in to fight the recent spurt in the number of COVID-19 cases in Delhi with a close coordination of various wings of the Centre and the Delhi government.

The laboratory was inaugurated by the home minister, the tests would be conducted at a rate of Rs 499 and the reports will be available in six hours, an official said. The rate for an RT-PCR test, considered to be the most accurate COVID test worldwide, in other laboratories was fixed at Rs 2,400 by a government-appointed committee and the report is normally available in 24-48 hours.

The SpiceHealth, part of the aviation group SpiceJet, in a statement said the laboratory can process up to 3,000 test reports per day and it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). The SpiceHealth said it will set up 20 laboratories in different parts of the country in the first phase and a significant proportion of the tests will be conducted in collaboration with agencies of the Centre and the state governments.

Delhi’s health infrastructure has started improving after Shah chaired a high-level meeting on November 15 and gave 12 instructions, following a fresh spike in the number of COVID-19 cases in the national capital. The spurt in the number of coronavirus cases in Delhi was witnessed since October 28, when the daily rise breached the 5,000-mark for the first time. It crossed the 8,000-mark on November 11.

The city recorded 6,746 fresh COVID-19 cases on Sunday, taking the total number of cases to5,29,863, while121 more fatalities pushed the death toll due to the disease to 8,391 in the city. The fresh cases came out of the 54,893 tests conducted on Saturday, including 23,433 RT-PCR tests, according to a bulletin issued by the Delhi health department.

On November 20, the Union home ministry had said the capacity of daily RT-PCR tests in Delhi was increased to 37,200. A total of 30,735 RT-PCR tests were conducted in Delhi on November 19 and the number of such tests carried out on November 15 was just 12,055, the home ministry had said.

As part of the efforts to ramp up Delhi’s medical infrastructure, a total of 205 ICU beds and 116 oxygenated beds were added in various city hospitals on Friday. The Delhi government has also launched a door-to-door survey for possible coronavirus patients and till Friday, 3,70,729 people were surveyed.

“For the first time, the number of RT-PCR tests in Delhi has exceeded that of the rapid antigen tests,” a home ministry spokesperson said on Sunday.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow