PUNE: Maharashtra is set to cross the 10-million (one crore) mark in coronavirus tests, a milestone that three states—Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Bihar—have crossed so far. Maharashtra accounts for 8% of tests in the country, but has the highest caseload and positivity rate.
Experts say, statistically, the state has tested 7-8% of its population, but a positivity rate of 18% warrants a higher testing ratio. At the outset of the pandemic, Maharashtra accounted for up to 40% of tests carried out nationally, but gradually it fell behind.
UP has carried out highest number of tests (1.74 crore) followed by Bihar (1.3 crore).
TN comes third (1.13 crore) while Maharashtra is fourth
(99.65 lakh) as on Thursday. The other three states have a positivity rate lower than Maharashtra’s.
A significant volume of the state’s testing capacity for the gold standard RT-PCR test still remains underutilised; most districts make a beeline for the less accurate rapid antigen test.
A senior doctor-cum-official said dependence on antigen tests has increased since September. “RT-PCR kits are centrally procured, whereas antigen kits are purchased locally at district levels, which could be driving its use”. In an analysis of 94 lakh tests in the state, 65lakh samples were through RT-PCR and nearly 30lakh through rapid antigen kits.
The state’s public health department had released a testing algorithm on August 21 spelling out the use of the three formats—RT-PCR, rapid antigen and TrueNat/ CBNAAT— for different categories of patients and population.
It said patients coming to hospitals with severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) or influenza-like-illnesses (ILI) and in need of immediate hospitalisation should be tested with rapid antigen kits that give an outcome in 30 minutes.
Officials had said this was to get results promptly, but doctors say it sent a signal that antigen was the primary testing tool.
About underutilisation of public labs, Dr TP Lahane, who heads the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER), said labs have a capacity to carry out almost 60,000 tests a day. But, at present, only 15,000 tests are being carried out. “We are trying to increase daily testing in government labs to 30,000 in a day,” he said.
On Thursday, a total of 65,000 tests were done in public and private labs put together. Private labs that were carrying out an equal share of tests in the state have fallen behind.
Analysis by the medical education wing shows they have performed less than 35lakh tests compared to more than 61 lakh tests in public labs.
A state official argued that Maharashtra cannot be compared with Bihar, where less than 8% tests were carried out using RT-PCR. However, a senior doctor pointed out that TN has done only RT-PCR tests. In Maharashtra, Mumbai has carried out the highest number of tests at 17lakh, followed by Pune district (15lakh) and Thane district (12lakh).