Only 1% Of Patients Negative In Rapid Tests Re-Tested Using Better Method

Mumbai: Barely 1% of people who tested negative in rapid antigen tests in the state have undergone an RT-PCR test, considered the gold standard for detection of the Sars-Cov-2 virus. Experts said such low number of re-tests could amount to missing cases and the possibility of infection spread in the community.

- Sumitra DebRoy

The ICMR states those who come positive in rapid antigen tests (RAT) are definitely Covid-positive. But if a symptomatic person comes negative, he/she should mandatorily undergo a confirmatory RT-PCR test. Data accessed by TOI shows roughly 1.9 lakh rapid antigen tests (RAT) have been carried out in the state, of which 31,227 (16.5%) have tested positive. But of the about 1.6 lakh who came negative, only 1,817 were re-tested, suggesting the districts found only a small fraction of symptomatic patients out of over 1.5 lakh.