Bengaluru: Following the shortages of beds and oxygen, Karnataka is now facing a shortage of Covid-19 testing kits.
The Covid Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) has warned the government that if tests decline, the pandemic situation would escalate. It has recommended that both rapid antigen (RAT) and RT-PCR test kits should be purchased immediately. “We have observed that testing has decreased due to a scarcity of kits. Severe shortage of RAT kits is hampering Covid management. We have strongly advised the government to procure kits without delay,” said Dr M.K Sudarshan, chairman, TAC.
The Centre’s guidelines state that RAT kits should be used for 30% of tests, but Karnataka has violated the rule and focused on RT-PCR tests.
In the last ten days, RAT tests have dropped by nearly half, and RT-PCR tests have dropped by around 50,000.
Officials estimate that stock of kits will last around 10 days at current rates.The state has limited testing in government laboratories to only symptomatic patients and primary contacts due to the shortage. As a result of the large delays in test results, the state has urged hospitals to begin treatment without waiting for results.
CN Ashwath Narayan, Deputy Chief Minister and Covid task force chairman said, “It is not about the shortage. The government wants judicious use of kits. The idea is not to waste resources and at the same time ensure medical services to those who need it most.”
Additional testing kits have been ordered by the government. A 42 lakh RT-PCR kit order has been placed, according to KS Latha Kumari, managing director of Karnataka State Medical Supplies Corporation. She stated that the purchase of 30 lakh RAT kits was completed.
