KOCHI: Testing for Covid-19 will gain pace in the district with the Regional Public Health Lab in Ernakulam starting Cartridge-based Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (CB-NAAT) testing facility from Thursday. This makes it the first lab in both public and private sector with facilities to conduct all four tests for detecting the virus – CB-NAAT, RT-PCR, TrueNAT and antigen tests. The CB-NAAT test machine was acquired by the lab utilising the funds donated by John Fernandez, MLA.
According to Dr Shyla Sam, senior medical officer, Regional Public Health Lab, the new CB-NAAT testing facility will ensure error-free and speedy results. “With the new facility, over 160 tests can be done every day at the lab. This can help increase the overall number of testings done in the district,” she adds.
The CB-NAAT machine which can be used to conduct at least seven tests per hour will give the results in 45 minutes. “Compared to the RT-PCR test, CB-NAAT requires less technical expertise and has fewer chances of contamination. The results would be error-free too. As many as 56 tests can be done in eight hours,” says Dr Nikhilesh Menon, nodal officer, RT-PCR testing. The advanced machinery was imported along with the test kits.
The Ernakulam Medical College Hospital at Kalamassery too has the CB-NAAT testing facility.At present, the lab conducts as many as 75 RT-PCR tests everyday. “The maximum number of RT-PCR tests that can be conducted in a day ranges between 96 and 100. The lab received the equipment to conduct RT-PCR tests just a few weeks ago and we are in the process of achieving a certain level of technical expertise,” adds Dr Nikhilesh. All tests are conducted free of cost.
However, the lab will not have walk-in test facility. According to official sources, the regional lab will only be testing samples collected by health workers and peripheral centres for the time being. “We will also be testing samples provided by hospitals of very sick patients and those scheduled to undergo emergency surgery, sticking to the guidelines of the ICMR,” said Dr Nikhilesh.
more efficient
The CB-NAAT machine which can be used to conduct at least seven tests per hour will give the results in 45 minutes. Compared to the RT-PCR test, CB-NAAT requires less technical expertise