NEW DELHI: From conducting more than 7,500 tests in one day to 3,700, the number of samples collected for novel coronavirus has gone down in the national capital over the past one week.
While 7,649 samples were collected on May 30, highest in recent past, it came down to only 3,700 on June 8. Owing to fewer samples collected over the past few days, cases registered in Delhi has also gone down.
The new cases registered on June 9, was 1,366 which is comparatively low as compared to days when cases touched above 1,500-mark last week.
However, the testing is likely to go up in the state after the Lt Governor on Monday instructed the state government to follow the ICMR protocol and conduct Covid-19 testing even of people with asymptomatic or mild symptoms.
Private labs such as Dr Path Labs said that they will be following the ICMR’s protocol and begin collecting samples.
There are currently 42 ICMR provided labs of which 36 were operational. The six labs which were issued show-cause notices are again back to providing Covid testing services.
Many healthcare workers have already apprehensive about the outcome of if Covid testing is brought to a halt in hospitals.
“If testing is stopped, it will lead to a disastrous result. What if a patient, asymptomatic is admitted to any general ward… not just the healthcare workers, but other patients admitted there will also be infected,” said a senior doctor from Safdarjung Hospital on condition of anonymity.
Another senior doctor from AIIMS noted that without testing, the pressure will come down on the administration on how to handle the suspected patients.
“Someone is having symptoms, a suspected case who needs to be admitted for some other surgery but there is no facility to test – what do we do under such circumstances… We cannot refuse treatment to the patient but that will be an extremely risky step, calling for more trouble,” added the doctor.
Containing the spread?
The number of fresh Covid-19 cases being registered on June 9, was 1,366. This is still comparatively low as compared to days when the number of cases crossed the 1,500-mark last week.