Rapid test kit results not satisfactory: Vij

‘Trying to talk to South Korean manufacturer to find out about shortcomings’

May 18, 2020 11:37 pm | Updated 11:37 pm IST - CHANDIGARH

Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij on Monday said the COVID-19 tests being conducted by rapid testing kits of a South Korea-based company were not delivering satisfactory results.

“This may be on account of malfunctioning of the kit or there may be a difference in the way we conduct the test. We are trying to talk to the company to find out what could be the shortcoming so that it could be resolved,” he said.

“Earlier kits from China had come that were rejected by the Indian Council of Medical Research. Later, we purchased 50,000 kits from the South Korean company and placed orders for another one lakh such kits. We have been conducting tests but they are also not delivering satisfactory results,” he said.

‘Increased testing’

“Rapid testing kits can certainly be very useful. We have increased our testing through the Rapid Test Polymerase Chain Reaction and around 3,000 per million tests are being conducted daily in the State. If Rapid Testing Kits start delivering correct results then the number of tests could be escalated further,” he said.

Mr. Vij said the State has a recovery rate of over 62%, which is far higher than 15% of the all-India rate, he said at a meeting with officials of the health department and members of the medical association.

Speaking on the migrant labour issue, Mr.Vij that if the States concerned issue NOCs for receiving their people, Haryana can send the migrants to their homes within four days.

‘Coming from Punjab’

“Migrants are coming to Haryana from Punjab and it is the responsibility of Punjab to stop them and facilitate them. We have increased the number police personnel on roads bordering Punjab,” he said.

Mr. Vij, added that he has, however, directed the Directed General of Police to ensure that no force was used on migrants.

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