Kits not available for corona tests in Srikakulam

Srikakulam: The Covid-19 testing kits and technical equipment are not available in Srikakulam for Coronavirus screening. As a result, the samples have to be sent to the laboratories at Rangaraya Medical College at Kakinada or King George Hospital in Visakhapatnam which takes more than two days to get the results. The officials find it difficult to send and get back the samples with reports.

An employee of Srikakulam Municipal Corporation (SMC) died of illness three days ago at the RIMS hospital. On suspicion that it was Coronavirus death, the medical officers did not hand over the body to the family members. They collected samples from the body next day and sent the same to Kakinada. However, they have yet to receive the results till Monday evening.

In another incident, two days ago a lorry driver and a cleaner were admitted in the RIMS hospital with respiratory complaints after they arrived here from Bengaluru. The samples were sent for the testing and waiting for the result.

Till Monday, a total of 781 samples were sent to the laboratories for testing and of them 320 results were received as negative and waiting for results of 461 samples.

To overcome the problem, the medical officials decided to start screening tests locally by converting tuberculosis (TB) machines by linking them with bio-safety machines for Coronavirus tests. Generally, TB machines are used for counting of bacteria through Real Time Polymer Chain Reaction (RTPCR) mode. In order to use these machines for Coronavirus test bio-safety cabins are required. Only one bio-safety machine is available at the RIMS hospital and three bio-safety machines are available at a private medical college-cum-hospital GEMS. By using these machines Coronavirus screening tests can be conducted locally.

With available resources and technical support every day at least 15 samples can be tested, said RIMS medical officers. "The screening test is meant for preliminary confirmation of Coronavirus which can be done in two hours and it may be available here in two days," medical officer at RIMS Dr Lakhineni Rammohan explained.