Pune / Nagpur: The Ministry of Health of the Union has suggested the state to adopt a double RT-PCR testing strategy in front of the sequencing positive covid sample genome for omicron detection.
Under the new plan, the alleged samples of throat / nasal nose which are thought to be tested using a standard RT-PCR kit and if it is detected positively, the same sample will undergo the second test with the imported RT-PCR kit has a decrease in s-genes.
“Only samples that show positive for the S-Gene dropout or the target of the S-Gene (SGTF) target will be sorted by an omicron.
In addition to cutting costs, it will also help in taking omicron cases that are very possible and save resources,” said officials Senior Ministry of Health Trade Union on Monday.
The Maharashtra government is the first to have begun to implement a double test strategy.
Quite a number of districts with high floating populations have received import kits.
“Genome sequencing costs rose to rs 5,000 per covid positive sample in India, including transportation, human resources, and other heads,” the official said, added that while the cost per kit of the standard RPCR kit and imported standard RPCR kit with SGTF each each is Rs 19 and Rs 240.
Dual RT-PCR costs Rs 260.
In addition to testing individuals with international travel history and their close contact, this kit can also be used in a government-managed laboratory for routine Covid tests to override the deployment of the community from the viral burden high or below 25 threshold cycles (CT).
A total of 23 of the 60 positive covid samples have so far been positively tested for the S-gene dropout in Nagpur.
Instead of sorting all 60 positive samples, 23 this sample was prioritized to sort in Nagpur.
Diagnostic Laboratory Research Virus in Nagpur’s Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital – One of the main sentinel centers in Maharashtra – is conducting a second RT-PCR test for SGTF before sending samples to sort.
Head of the Microbiology Department of the Hospital and Investigator of the Principal Dr.
SS Raut said, “We are testing a positive sample again using a special RT-PCR kit for SGTF.” Omicron patients who were confirmed by the two Nagpur, a 21-year-old young man who returned from Dubai, was the first to the neck / nasal swab sample when tested twice with RPCR kit showed SGTF.