Aurangabad, March 28:
As many as 6.84 lakh corona tests were conducted in the district till March 26. Over the past week, an average of over 6,000 patients are being tested every day costing about Rs 30 lakh.
Corona swabs were initially being sent to NIV in Pune for testing. Later, a viral diagnostic laboratory was set up at the government medical college and Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University. Antigen tests were also facilitated. Around 4 lakh RTPCR tests and 2.5 lakh antigen tests have been carried out in the district so far. The government has spent more than Rs 25 crore only on tests said Dr Gulab Khedkar. Testing facility was also available in two private laboratories in the city. The tests costed Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,200. However, the municipal corporation suspended its services last week. Now, most corona tests are being done at government laboratories.
Daily tests in government laboratories: 4000
Daily tests in a private laboratory: 300
Government laboratory: 2
Private laboratory: 2
Tests conducted daily in the district: 6000
Tests were performed last week: 40,000
In all 40,798 RTPCR samples were taken in the district between March 19 to March 26. Out of which 11,581 patients were found infected. During this period, 3702 samples were given for testing in private labs. Out of which 1,018 patients were found infected. Till now, 29, 528 tests have been done in private labs and 6,54,992 tests have been done in government labs through antigens till March 26.
A test costs Rs1000
Giving more information, the head of the laboratory at Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, Dr Gulab Khedkar said, "It is difficult to say exactly how much a test costs as the government provides manpower for the test, including consumables. However, the cost of three different processes is estimated to be around Rs 500 per test. Apart from that, the cost of manpower, laboratory set up, swab taking system, delivery of reports including delivery of the swab to the lab, contact tracing is different. A test in private lab costs around Rs 1,000.