Hyderabad: Asymptomatic people line up for Covid tests

Hyderabad: The Health department is doing Covid-19 test even to asymptomatic people apart from people having virus-related symptoms.

After ramping up tests and increasing testing centres since last month, even asymptomatic people are landing up at testing centres, especially in GHMC limits, and demanding Covid test to be done on them. People approaching the testing centres even when their neighbours test positive; someone from their apartment or street-tests positive; office colleague tests positive . They insist on conducting tests on them even though the health officials say that they have to do the sample test only on symptomatic people.

"Some individuals are entering into arguments with testing staff and creating nuisance when told that testing will be done for symptomatic cases only. Now that rapid kits are also supplied adequately, instructions have been given to conduct Covid test for all people who visit centres," a DMHO official said.

"However, only rapid testing is being done for asymptomatic cases. Symptomatic cases are being tested with rapid kits initially and through RT-PCR again if there are any doubts," he said.

The other interesting thing is that asymptomatic people are being choosy when it comes to undergoing the test. They are not landing up at testing centers on public holidays including Sundays from the last few weeks and hence the testing numbers per day on those days are falling considerably when compared to normal days. The situation was no different due to incessant rain and two-day continuous holidays this weekend.

"While 1,800 to 2,000 tests are being done per day in our district regularly on holidays the numbers are falling to just 800 to 900 testing per day. While asymptomatic cases are avoiding tests on holidays those having symptoms have no choice but to visit the center and undergo the sample test," stated, a DMHO from one of the districts witnessing high caseload.