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Kolkata: With just over a month to go for two years of the pandemic in Bengal, 2.3 crore COVID tests have been conducted in the state since the end of February 2020, according to data released by the health department.
Of these, more than one crore were rapid antigen tests (RATs), of which 10.3 million – or about 10% – were carried out in the last month alone during the oomicron-fueled third wave.
More than 50% of all the COVID tests conducted in Bengal in the last one month were antigen tests. Experts believe that if home tests had been included, the figure would have been much higher. Intensivist Sauren Panja said, “This time with a large number of affected, the rapid test helped in faster detection of positivity.” “Unfortunately, some of those who tested at home uploaded the results, thereby hiding the actual numbers,” he said.
More than 21 lakh tests were conducted in Bengal since December 28 last year, when the cases of Kovid started increasing, of which more than 10 lakh were antigen tests. And of those 10 lakh RAT tests, 5.8 lakh were conducted in the last fortnight alone, the data shows.
favored the RAT during the third wave
According to the ICMR, commonly used lateral flow tests, such as rapid-antigen test (RAT) and home-antigen test (HAT), between the third and eighth day (when there is a viral load) can detect COVID-19 early. help to install. maximum). During the third wave, it emerged as the backbone of testing. However, RT-PCR tests – which were considered the gold standard test during the last boom – can still detect some non-infectious RNA particles after the eighth day, leading to positive results.
The data shows that the emphasis was mainly on RT-PCR during the first two waves of the pandemic. But this gradually shifted in favor of the RAT during the third wave, which was accepted by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee as she was announcing the Covid relaxations on January 31.
As of January 17, the proportion of RT-PCR tests was significantly higher than that of RAT tests. But over the next few days, rapid antigen tests were more than 50% of the total daily tests conducted.
Banerjee had said that Omron’s rapid transmittance has made RAT tests an effective tool – giving results in minutes.
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