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Though West Bengal is not among the front-ranking states on Covid-19 infections, it is a potential giant petri dish for the virus with a mockery of social distancing protocols on display due to the assembly elections. In the midst of such a situation, the state does not have adequate infrastructure to conduct RTPCR tests on all the suspect patients but is conducting a lot of rapid antigen tests that are just a tentative screening of the infection.

Infection is rising in the state at a fast clip. On April 12, the bulletin of the state health department put the number of fresh infections in the preceding 24 hours at 4,511. On April 1, the number was only 1,274.

Till April 12, the total number of tests carried out in the state was 95.50 lakh. Out of this 40.12 lakh, or 42%, were rapid antigen test. The rest 55.38 lakh were RTPCR, CBNAAT or TRUENAT test.

In Maharashtra, till February, the share of RTPCR tests was about 70%. However, after the fresh outbreak of the virus, the share has gone down to 50%.

“We are trying to employ RTPCR technology in as many test centres as possible. But there is a limitation. All medical colleges have RTPCR technology, but some of the district and subdivision hospitals do not have this facility. But we are trying to scale it up,” said state health director Ajoy Chakroborty.

“The advantages of rapid antigen tests are quick detection at cheaper rates and point-of care testing where all positive results are considered truly positive. But all negative results may not be negative, especially in highly suspected cases. These need confirmation by RTPCR tests as this is the gold standard,” said microbiologist Bhaskar Narayan Chaudhury of Peerless Hospital.

“Only RTPCR test results are considered to be valid throughout the globe. So we always recommend this test to patients. In rapid antigen test the percentage of error is high.” said Bipul Roy, a critical care specialist.

In West Bengal, there are a total of 105 centres to test suspected COVID infections. They are using three technologies – 51 centres employ RTPCR technology, 9 use CBNAAT and the rest 45 labs use TRUENAT technology.

Of the 51 centres employing RTPCR, 23 are run by the state government and 2 by the Centre.

Last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the country is trying to increase the share of RTPCR tests to 70% of the total screening.