North 24-Parganas: As many as 50 centres conduct rapid antigen tests

Kolkata: The North 24-Parganas district administration has taken up large scale rapid antigen tests in all the subdivisions for the quick identification of Covid infected patients.

According to a senior administrative official, awareness campaigns have been conducted since the outbreak of the pandemic and people have become cautious and they are visiting various hospitals and other health centers which are conducting rapid tests.

Narayan Goswami, Karmadhakshya at the Zilla Parishad said that as many as 50 centers are currently conducting rapid antigen tests across the length and breadth of the district which include the rural hospitals in the far off

places.

"All the state general hospitals and the Barasat district hospital are conducting rapid tests to cover maximum number periods in a very short time. Suspected patients are undergoing rapid tests

initially if there is any confusion in the results the doctors are performing RT-PCR and other tests on them as well. We have plans to conduct camps in the infected areas so that more number of people can be covered."

Goswami also said: "In some pockets the infection rate is high. It appears that community transmission might

have taken place in some areas. The local administration and the civic bodies are enforcing lockdown to flatten the curve more particularly in the affected areas. The district administration is trying to check the transmission through various measures. Contact tracing is carried out on a regular basis by the health administration so that persons coming in contact with an infected patient can easily be identified."

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) had allowed the state governments to conduct antigen tests to trace the positive cases within a short period of time and ease the burden of RT-PCR test.

The Bengal government has also instructed the health department and various

civic bodies to perform antigen tests to fast-track the

Covid tests.

Chief medical officer of health in the district, Dr Tapas Roy said: "We are conducting rapid antigen tests in various centers. We have already received 8,000 kits. Those who test negative but have

symptoms will undergo RT-PCR tests.