Nagpur: At least 10% of the people being tested for Covid-19 are giving wrong contact numbers or avoiding giving detailed information while registering for tests, in nexus with laboratories. This prevents visits by Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) teams as part of contact tracing and testing if people test positive.
Taking serious cognisance of the issue, civic officials inspected private laboratories and warned them of action on Friday.
For Covid-19 testing, all persons have to give contact number, detailed address, email ID and other information, like reason for getting tested etc. Swab collection cannot be done if all this information is not filed on the ICMR website.
Around 11 private laboratories and hospitals are conducting RT-PCR tests apart from three government-run laboratories in the city. NMC has provided the facility free of cost at 50 centres.
NMC sources told TOI contact numbers of over 10% of the positive patients are either wrong or not working. Officials at NMC’s 10 zones have found contact number of over 10-15 positive patients every day is 9999999999.
NMC additional municipal commissioner Ram Joshi told TOI, “Problem can be solved if laboratories demand correct and detailed information before collection of swab samples. Our teams can visit patients, and trace and test contacts even if the address is proper.”
Some laboratories are mentioning just name of the area in the address, like Jaripatka or Khamla, making it impossible to trace the tested person if s/he tests positive. Tracing and testing of contacts is necessary for early detection and treatment of the patients and others around him.
“This will help break chains and contain spread of the disease, which is also for the benefit of people and city. Therefore, I appeal to all to give proper information,” Joshi said.
Earlier, private laboratories used to ask for copy of Aadhaar card for correct address. The system stopped during the peak of Covid-19 in August. It is not mandatory at NMC centres and government-run laboratories to show or submit proof of address.
Joshi said, “We visited private laboratories and explained to them the importance of getting proper contact numbers and address of all people doing tests. Stringent action will be taken in case any private laboratory continues to violate the norms.”
Also, correct contact number of each and every person is important to check status of positive patients like admitted in hospital or in home isolation and recovery after 10 days.
NMC has also noticed private laboratories are not filing information of testing and results on ICMR website on the same day as the number of tests are rising.
Joshi said private laboratories were also directed to ensure filing of data before 12 midnight every day. “We prepare list of positive patients daily and distribute to 10 zone offices the next day. Tracing and testing of contacts is delayed by a day in case of late filing by laboratories on ICMR portal,” he said.
Joshi added 429 centres facilitating CAT scan were also directed to provide information on daily basis, which will help trace patients and their contacts. “Also, private hospitals have been asked to submit list of positive patients and influenza like illness (ILI) patients on daily basis,” he said.
A couple of days ago, municipal commissioner Radhakrishnan B held a meeting with all laboratories and directed them to give results within 24 hours for early treatment.