Mumbai: After being criticised for allegedly reducing the number of tests for Covid-19 across the city, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has refuted the allegations and clarified that the number of tests for Covid-19 have increased in the city instead.
According to BMC, at present, on an average around 4,000 samples are tested daily for Covid-19. Meanwhile, the official testing capacity of private and government labs is over 9,000 samples a day.
“We have extended the lab capacity as a precautionary measure if Covid-19 cases spike further. We are conducting adequate tests on a daily basis. The number of tests has not been reduced,” said Dr Daksha Shah, deputy executive health officer, BMC.
According to the data released by BMC, the civic body had conducted 1 lakh tests between February 3, 2020 and May 6. However, between May 6 to June 1, the civic body conducted over 1 lakh tests. The total number of tests conducted up to June 3 is 2.12 lakh.
"In Mumbai, the first Covid-19 test was conducted on February 3, 2020, and the first case was detected on March 11, 2020. In the last month, we have managed to conduct over 1 lakh tests at an average rate of 4,000 tests per day. And we have maintained this average throughout, it has not been reduced since," said a senior BMC official.
According to the BMC, it has conducted over 2.08 lakh tests till June 2, of those only 20.18 per cent people tested positive for the novel coronavirus. "Even the COVID-19 case doubling rate has gone up to 19 days from 14 days last week," the official said.
Last week, BMC instructed labs that Covid-19 test results must be declared within 24 hours of receipt of samples. For those with severe cases of Covid-19, delays in receiving results can be critical.
"The tests are currently being conducted as per the guidelines given by the ICMR on May 18, 2020. In the past, a Coronavirus-infected patient was discharged after two tests are found negative. According to the revised guidelines, even if 1 test is negative, is enough to discharge the patient. Also, if the X-ray examination shows positive changes such as improvement in oxygen level, then the patient can be sent home. Pregnant women coming for delivery were compulsorily tested. It is no longer mandatory. The revised guidelines seem to limit the number of tests, but they are certainly not inadequate and does not mean we have reduced the number of tests," the official said.
Meanwhile, the average daily growth rate of infections has gone down, claimed BMC officials. As per the BMC data till June 2, the average daily growth of COVID-19 cases went down from more than 8 per cent a week ago to 3.64 per cent.
According to the officials, due to aggressive screening, testing and contact tracing of suspected COVID-19 patients, the civic body has been successful in keeping the spread of the pandemic under control.
