Odisha uses rapid, pool tests to detect COVID-19 cases

Bhubaneswar : With the Odisha capital being identified as one of the coronavirus hotspots in the country, the state government has stepped up its measures to fight the disease by adopting rapid and pool testing methods to detect COVID-19 cases, Health and Family Welfare Minister N K Das said on Sunday.
The rapid and pool tests will be conducted apart from regular sample tests, he said.
“Rapid tests have started in Bhubaneswar, which reported 46 of the total 61 coronavirus cases in Odisha, while efforts are on to commence pool tests of samples at VIMSAR, Burla from Sunday,” the minister said.
He said 90 samples will be initially tested every day at the institute and the numbers will later be increased.
The state administration has already received 6,000 rapid testing kits from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) in the first phase, Health and Family Welfare Department Secretary N B Dhal said.
“Antibody rapid tests for COVID-19 has commenced in Bhubaneswar from Saturday. A total of 838 samples were collected for tests on the first day. Tests in the city are being done with the help of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation,” he said.