When the pandemic started wreaking havoc across India last year, testing proved to be a major hurdle. However, this is no longer the case with several testing laboratories coming up while also offering rapid antigen testing kits that produce quick results. However, official data has revealed that these tests are not as accurate as RT-PCR (reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction) test which can take up to a day or more to generate a result.
New data shows that RT-PCR tests are now the dominant method of testing in Maharashtra. It shows that the use of these tests was as high as 71 to 73 per cent as of February 20 and 21. This is a major improvement since December 2020 when RT-PCR testing was at 50 per cent while the rest were rapid antigen tests.
This comes as a Central team that was in Maharashtra recently recommended an increase of testing numbers, particularly for RT-PCR tests. In some districts of the state, more than 70 per cent of the tests were conducted via the rapid antigen method.
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Available data shows that a total of 65,962 tests were conducted on February 20 of which 46,842 tests were conducted using the RT-PCR method. As of Feb 21, 73 per cent of the 48,141 tests conducted in Maharashtra were performed using RT-PCR. Meanwhile, the level of rapid antigen tests has fallen to 30 per cent on regular days.
A senior state official mentioned that districts have been asked to switch to the RT-PCR testing method as cases are spiking.
“As it is, no district was encouraged to use too much antigen, but because of the ease, it was preferred over RT-PCR. The turnaround time for RT-PCR remains 24 hours, and that tempts many to opt for antigen,” the official was quoted as saying by TOI.
The Public Health Department in August had released a detailed testing algorithm highlighting the use of three testing types including RT-PCR, rapid antigen, and TrueNat/CBNAAT depending on the severity of the infection as well as the population in a particular region.
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The health department also recommended using rapid tests for patients who arrive at hospitals with severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) or influenza-like illnesses (ILI) and are in need of immediate hospitalisation. Given that time is a major factor in such cases, rapid antigen tests are recommended as they produce a result in around 30 minutes.
Despite this, up to 55 per cent of the tests conducted in August and September were performed using rapid antigen testing kits.
Additional Municipal Commissioner of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Suresh Kakani said that around 70 per cent of the tests conducted in Mumbai are performed using RT-PCR. He added that the emphasis will be on RT-PCR testing even as the civic body looks to increase testing figures.
Districts like Amravati are currently facing a rise in cases, making it one of the worst-hit regions by the current wave of the virus. Civic Surgeon in the region, Dr Shyamsundar Nikam said that officials in the district are using rapid tests primarily to conduct mass testing in COVID-19 hotspots.
Despite upping the rate of RT-PCR testing across key regions of the state, some believe that it could take a while for the testing capacity to pick up in rural portions of Maharashtra.
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