Bhubaneswar: 30% of population covered by Covid tests

BHUBANESWAR: Thirty per cent of the capital city’s residents have been covered by Covid-19 tests so far, with the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) having tested three lakh people.
Initially only RT-PCR tests were being conducted. Rapid antigen tests were introduced in July, and have helped increase testing.
Sources within the BMC said more than 4,000 samples were being tested every day. On September 18, the number of tests here touched two lakh. From then to now, a span of less than a month, the BMC has tested another one lakh people.
BMC commissioner Prem Chandra Chaudhury said 30 per cent of the city’s residents had been covered by tests, and only a small fraction of the tests was repeat tests of individuals. Most of the tests carried out so far are rapid antigen tests, he added. “The primary and community health centres are open to all who want to get tested. We bring out a schedule of RT-PCR tests a day in advance to help people know the location and time. Testing hasn’t gone down but the positivity rate has decreased from 12% in September to 8% now,” he told TOI.
As far as the spread of infection is concerned, 2.6% people in the city have contracted the virus at some point with total count on Tuesday jumping to 26,016. The city reported 281 fresh cases. For the third consecutive day, it has remained below 300. With 22,525 recoveries and 122 deaths, the city now has 3,348 active cases. On Tuesday, 315 more patients recovered.
BMC officials said with winter approaching when influenza-like illness are reported, the civic body will take a call on further increasing of sample testing after getting approval from the government. More people are likely to come to testing centres voluntarily for giving their samples. Although, the city authorities hope daily positive count will go down further towards the end of October, number of samples being tested won’t be reduced.
At present, tests are being conducted at 19 primary health centres and four community health centres from 9 am to 2 pm. Besides, nine private hospitals and clinics are conducting the test. The RTPCR test is being carried out at Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC). In addition, the mobile testing van is also testing close to 100 samples a day.
The BMC has made special provision for Covid test of differently-abled persons, shopkeepers, media persons, police and resident welfare association members. Six camps are being organized daily in the city for such tests. Besides, some private clinics and hospitals have been authorised to conduct the Covid test.