The Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi Government has issued a show-cause notice to eight laboratories for testing a large number of asymptomatic patients and delaying COVID-19 test results. This is against the protocol of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), said the Govt and added that they won't be sending them samples for testing until further orders, reported NDTV.
The notice read, “By reviewing the data submitted by you in the ICMR portal and the H&FW [Health and Family Welfare] department, it has been observed that a large number of asymptomatic patients were tested without following the ICMR protocol on May 30 and 31.”
According to the NDTV report, Out of the eight laboratories, seven are private labs and the remaining one is the prominent government laboratory NCDC (National Centre for Disease Control). However, all the laboratories have refuted the allegations.
Responding to the Govt's notice, NCDC said the ICMR protocol applies to a collection center where individuals can get tested. The lab said that it does not collect samples, they are sent to them in batches by various state governments.
“How can the Delhi government send us a notice? Under what authority? Does it even come under their purview? We test samples from across India. We have sent them a reply,” said NCDC Director Dr Surjeet Singh.
Meanwhile, the recovery rate of COVID-19 patients in Delhi has fallen in the last 10 days, dipping to 39.58 per cent as reported on June 4, according to official figures. This is the first time in the past two weeks that the recovery rate has fallen below 40 per cent.
Barring June 1, when it saw a spike of 990 cases, Delhi has been recording over 1,000 fresh cases every day from May 28-June 4, the highest being 1,513 on June 3.
Delhi recorded 1,359 fresh coronavirus cases on Thursday, taking the COVID-19 tally in the city to over 25,000-mark, and the death toll due to the disease mounted to 650, authorities said.
(With IANS inputs)