Mumbai: Even when Covid testing fell throughout the state, the city has managed to remain stable between 30,000 and 35,000 tests on most days.
Until October 17, 3.7 lakh RT-PCR was carried out together with 2.3 lakh test antigen (RAT).
Even on September 21, Mumbai completed 1 Crore test, with almost 65% using the RT-PCR method which was considered a gold standard for Covid testing.
In September, 6 lakh tests were carried out using RT-PCR and 4.9 other lakhs were mice.
Concerns are being voiced about the decline in testing throughout the state in the past two weeks.
From the average test of 1.9 lakh a day during the second wave peak between April and June, the daily test has dropped to 1 lakh at the time.
State officials said people did not want to be tested during the celebration season, and the second wave receded it put people to sleep about the threat of Covid.
“We also have fewer people who want to be tested during the Navratri Festival,” said a BMC senior official, but testing has lived in a range of 30,000-35,000 daily.
“We conducted a targeted test instead of testing people randomly.
In addition, we tried to follow the Guidelines for the Indian Medical Research Council (ICMR) to carry out 70% of the daily test using RT-PCR,” he added.
While the RT-PCR test in the city is around 2%, the level of peposititivity for quick antigen tests fell to 0% on almost every day.
In the state, the number of tests has dropped by 10% in the past week: While 7.7 Lakh tests were carried out between 8 and 14 October, the number fell to 6.9 lakh between October 15 and 21.
“Maharashtra has the potential to carry out almost 2 lakh tests Every day and district it is recommended to continue to test more people to maintain the spread of checks, “said Health Minister Rajesh Tope said on Thursday.