COVID19: Test kits run out at Punjab only Genome Lab in Patiala Patiala News Today
Currently, there is not a single testing kit for genome sequencing in the laboratory. The laboratory has so far tested only 532 covid positive samples with 96 tests remaining.
Patiala News Today, 8 January 2022
During the tsunami of Covid-19 cases, efforts to detect and isolate cases of the Omicron variant have been severely hampered by the loss of testing kits in the state’s only genome sequencing laboratory at the Government Medical College here. . The laboratory detects the spread of new mutations in the virus.
Rajesh Bhaskar, State Nodal Officer, said, “We have donated about 100 kits to the lab this week. There is a shortage of kits in the country. We are working to provide more kits to State Lab. ”
Sources said that due to a lack of kits, the lab was only examining international travelers from high-risk countries.
The Deputy Commissioner, Patiala recently said that the Omicron variant was the probable virus behind the recent outbreak in Government Rajindra Hospital and Medical College. However, due to a lack of kits, tests could not be performed to detect the spread of Omicron. In addition, case samples could not be tested at Thapar University last week.
Lab officials said they had processed about 96 samples for Omicron on Thursday, but reports could take more than a week.
