New Delhi: The Delhi government on Wednesday slashed rates of RT-PCR and Rapid Antigen Tests. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal took to Twitter and wrote, “Delhi govt drastically reduces corona test rates. This will help the common man.” According to the Delhi government, the RT-PCR test will now cost Rs 300 in the national capital, when samples are collected by government teams. RAT will also cost Rs 300.

Here are the rates fixed by the government:

  • Conventional RT PCR Test wherein samples are collected by Govt. teams and collected from the collection sites by Private sector Labs as requisitioned by the Districts/Hospitals: Rs 300
  • Conventional RT PCR Test wherein samples are collected by Private lab teams for Government and processed further at their lab: Rs 400
  • Conventional RT PCR Test wherein individuals give their samples at the Labs/Private Hospitals/Collection facilities for paid testing at their own expense (including all charges-sample collection & testing cost at the site): Rs 500
  • Conventional RT PCR Test wherein samples are collected through Home visits including all charges-visit, samples collection & testing cost): Rs 700
  • Rapid Antigen detection Test (RAT): Rs 300

Private sector labs shall mandatorily collect the samples from the testing sites as requisitioned by Govt. team (District CDMO Office or Hospital). Processing of samples, sharing the reports with the client (Govt. or individual) and updation of all reports on ICMR Portal will be ensured latest within 24 hours of collection of samples.

Delhi reported 50 fresh COVID-19 cases and four more fatalities caused by the viral disease in a day, while the positivity rate stood at 0.08 per cent, according to a health bulletin issued on Tuesday.

The city recorded four Covid fatalities after a gap of over 10 days. On July 21, it had recorded four deaths while five fatalities were recorded on July 20. A total of 64,276 tests were conducted to detect the viral infection on Monday, of which 39,498 were RTPCR or CBNAAT or TrueNat tests, according to the bulletin.

The national capital has reported 14,36,451 Covid cases so far. A total of 14,10,874 patients have recuperated, while the death toll due to the disease stands at 25,058, the bulletin said.

The case fatality rate stands at 1.74 per cent, it added. On Sunday, 51 fresh Covid cases were recorded while there was no fatality. This information was revealed on Tuesday as the Delhi government had not released the COVID-19 bulletin for the day.

On Saturday, the city had reported 58 COVID-19 cases with a positivity rate of 0.08 per cent and one death. A day earlier, it had logged 63 Covid cases with a positivity rate of 0.09 per cent and three deaths. With 65 recoveries in a day, the city currently has 519 active coronavirus cases, down from 538 the previous day. Of the patients, 174 are under home isolation.