Thiruvananthapuram: The delay by labs in releasing the COVID-19 test results is posing a big challenge in the fight against the pandemic in Kerala.
Labs are now taking three days to release the results of PCR tests. Kerala has 21 labs that can handle a maximum of 3,500 PCR tests daily.
The state currently has 1.27 lakh PCR kits. Its efforts to find more labs with the facility to do the test have not yielded much results.
According to the government figures released on Saturday, of the 7,219 samples that were sent for examination, results were obtained for 5,092 samples.
At present, those who have come in contact with a confirmed COVID patient are being put in quarantine after the samples are sent for testing.
At the same time, those who have come in secondary contact with people who have completed quarantine are stepping out. And by the times the test results arrive, they would have interacted with many people.
The delay in the results of those whose source of COVID is not known can lead to a rapid spread of the disease.
According to estimates, at least 500 test results have been delayed in each district. In the Thiruvananthapuram district, of the 16 results that were released on Saturday, the sample of four people had been sent for tests on July 1.
In the Ponnani taluk, where the disease has been spreading rapidly, 510 samples were collected recently. But the test results of only 163 people came out in time.
Antibody test: 14% people infected
In recent days, 10,000 antibody tests were done to find out if community transmission of COVID has started. While 14% of the people have been found positive in the antibody test, it has not yet been possible to conduct the PCR test on all of them to confirm the disease.
The antibody and antigen tests have an accuracy rate of only 10%. Those who are positive in these tests have to undergo the PCR testing to confirm if they have COVID. It is the delay in these results that is causing a crisis, forcing Kerala to expand antibody, antigen and CLIA testing.
The state has said antigen test will be used instead of the RT-PCR examination as part of the sentinel surveillance to ascertain contact cases. At airports, too, it will rely more on antibody and antigen tests instead of the RT-PCR to determine cases.
The health department has said CLIA tests will be used instead of serosurveillance and rapid antibody tests to ascertain community spread. It will also be used instead of RT-PCR test in epidemiological studies to determine the source of infection.
1 out of every 53 tests positive
In Kerala, one out of every 53 samples being tested is turning positive for COVID-19, a report by the principal health secretary Rajan Khobragade has said.
Over the past two weeks, 60% of the patients have been from Malappuram, Palakkad, Thrissur and Kannur districts, the report said.
On Saturday, Kerala had 240 new cases, the highest increase in a day so far. The state has reported 5,203 cases till Saturday, of which 3,048 have recovered.
As containment zones and hotspots increase, the Indian Medical Association had on Saturday said that the community transmission of COVID-19 has already started in Kerala. It said that it has already reported its conclusion to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
