AHMEDABAD: High number of testing does not necessarily mean unearthing more Covid positive cases. Month-on-month comparison for June and July demonstrates that the rise in the number of daily tests has not drastically changed the daily Covid positive numbers. In June, the positivity rate was 9.8% which has increased to 10% in July.
The number of daily tests has increased 41% whereas in proportion, the number of average daily cases have increased by 44% - from 528 in June to 762 in July.
Trend for Covid-19 testing in Gujarat reveals that the average daily tests are up three and a half times in July compared to April – 7,582 against 2,183. But the test positivity rate – number of positive patients found for each 100 tests – has increased from 6.6 in April to 10 in July.
Overall, the state has recorded a test positivity rate of 9% - finding 41,027 cases out of 4,57,066 tests. Gujarat is third among major states in this regard as Maharashtra and Delhi find 19 and 15 positive cases respectively from each 100 tests.
State-based experts said that the state carries out three types of tests to find new cases - reverse transcription- polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), TrueNAT and CB-NAAT. Since early July, the state has also introduced rapid antigen (Ag) testing even as RT-PCR has remained the go-to test for identifying whether the person is Covid-19 positive. According to Indian Council on Medical Research (ICMR) website, Gujarat has 41 labs for testing – 23 in government and 18 in private settings.
“Widespread testing is a sure-shot method for identification of potential cases early and isolating them to reduce spread of Covid-19. In Gujarat, number of tests has increased but positivity has remained almost the same in the past one month or so. Wider tests – especially in emerging hotspots – can help in bringing the peak and subsequent fall in daily cases,” said a city-based public health expert.
The number of daily tests has increased 41% whereas in proportion, the number of average daily cases have increased by 44% - from 528 in June to 762 in July.
Trend for Covid-19 testing in Gujarat reveals that the average daily tests are up three and a half times in July compared to April – 7,582 against 2,183. But the test positivity rate – number of positive patients found for each 100 tests – has increased from 6.6 in April to 10 in July.
Overall, the state has recorded a test positivity rate of 9% - finding 41,027 cases out of 4,57,066 tests. Gujarat is third among major states in this regard as Maharashtra and Delhi find 19 and 15 positive cases respectively from each 100 tests.
State-based experts said that the state carries out three types of tests to find new cases - reverse transcription- polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), TrueNAT and CB-NAAT. Since early July, the state has also introduced rapid antigen (Ag) testing even as RT-PCR has remained the go-to test for identifying whether the person is Covid-19 positive. According to Indian Council on Medical Research (ICMR) website, Gujarat has 41 labs for testing – 23 in government and 18 in private settings.
“Widespread testing is a sure-shot method for identification of potential cases early and isolating them to reduce spread of Covid-19. In Gujarat, number of tests has increased but positivity has remained almost the same in the past one month or so. Wider tests – especially in emerging hotspots – can help in bringing the peak and subsequent fall in daily cases,” said a city-based public health expert.
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