COVID-19: Delhi HC suggests state govt to ramp up testing through RT-PCR

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday suggested the Delhi government ramp up testing through RT-PCR as Rapid Antigen Testings does not give accurate reports and asked the expert committee to conduct a meeting to consider on this regard.

A division bench of Justice Hima Kohli and Justice Subramonium Prasad noted that the test result conducted through RAT is 60% accurate, which creates a great doubt about the infection in those who are asymptomatic. "We are of the firm view that RT-PCR should be way forward," the bench said adding that the state government should focus on soaring its capacity of testing through RT-PCR.

The High Court noted that there is an expert committee constituted by Lt Governor and requested the expert committee to conduct a meeting on priority to consider the capacity for RT-PCR testing should be ramped up.

The court noted that one-fourth of the total tests conducted last week was through RT-PCR and the rest were conducted via the RAT process. It asked the government to file a status report on this regard and listed the matter by September 30.

However, the Delhi government standing counsel Satyakam assured the court that authorities will consider increasing testing through RT-PCR but defended its process of conducting more RAT tests saying that it gives quick results.

The court was hearing a plea, filed by advocate Rakesh Malhotra, seeking directions to conduct large-scale rapid testing in the national capital for identifying the infected people. 

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AAP MLAs get false negative in RAT

This comes after two AAP legislators, whose RAT report for COVID-19 had come negative, attended the proceedings of the Delhi Assembly's special session on Monday but left the House soon after their RT-PCR report confirmed the viral infection, officials said.

These two legislators had undergone an RT-PCR test for COVID-19 on Friday. Since their reports were awaited, they decided to undergo rapid antigen test on Monday morning and their reports came negative, an official said. It was mandatory for all legislators to carry their COVID-19 test report to attend the House proceedings.

Coronavirus outbreak in Delhi

Delhi’s COVID-19 tally mounted to over 2.25 lakh after 4,263 fresh cases were reported on Tuesday, with authorities conducting a record 62,669 tests in the national capital. Thirty-six fatalities pushed the death toll in the national capital to 4,806, according to the latest bulletin issued by the Delhi health department. The active cases tally on Tuesday rose to 29,787 from 28,641 on the previous day, as per the bulletin.

The number of rapid-antigen tests conducted on Monday stood at 52,271 while the RT-PCR, CBNAAT, and True NAAT test figures were 10,398 in all adding to 62,669, according to the Tuesday bulletin.

(With inputs from ANI) (PTI Photo)

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