NMC, kin in a fix as woman tests +ve in one lab, -ve in another

Nagpur: An elderly woman’s contrasting Covid-19 test results from two private labs within a span of six days have put the relatives and the civic body in a peculiar situation wherein the NMC has sealed the area while the kin are unsure about her health status.
Officially, the woman remains a Covid positive as there is no set procedure to modify the updates by private labs submitted online.
On July 31, the woman was declared Covid positive when her swab was tested by Dhruv Labs, while her sample was found negative by Su-Vishwas Lab on August 5. She is asymptomatic and at home.
Dhruv Labs director Dr Shailesh Mundhada said the woman was weak positive as per the value shown in her report. “The method we follow is sensitive and detects even mild to very mild positive cases. It is quite possible for a person to test negative or positive in more than one sampling. In this case, if a patient has tested positive and negative in next report, still it will be considered a positive case for the next at least two weeks” he said.
Dr Mundhada added it also does not mean the report of either lab is incorrect.
Su-Vishwas Lab director Dr Sandhya Saoji said it depends on the RT-PCR kits also. “Our kits have high cut off of 30 and above Ct values. After five days, it is possible to get a negative report as the patient is either in recovery phase or early stage of infection. It is a common phenomenon,” she said.
Dr Saoji said as per Su-Vishwas report, the patient must be considered Covid negative.
NMC officials said they consider a report as positive in case there is a clash with its as well as other lab findings. “We don’t have any guideline on what to make out of different reports from private labs. It is a matter of study,” they said.
The woman’s nephew said she had no travel history and lives with her 80-year-old husband. “As no one came in contact with them, we decided to get another test done. But the NMC sealed our area which has barred entry of all helpers and maids who were looking after not just this couple but also other elderly people living alone,” he said.