Amidst the huge spurt in the fresh case of coronavirus infection, Bokaro faces a devastating and deadlier threat second wave of the virus. The district reported 194 new positive cases, including 41 Bokaro Steel Plant’s (BSL) employees of coronavirus in a single day surge which is the highest one.
Currently, the tests are being carried out using TrueNat and Rapid Antigen testing kits at Bokaro, and for advance screening (RT-PCR), the district health department used to send its samples to PMCH Dhanbad.
But due to the overload of the sample testing and huge backlogs at Dhanbad, RT-PCR testing has been stopped now, informed AK Pathak Civil Surgeon Bokaro.
Notably, in August last year, when COVID-19 spread was at its peak, the district administration and Bokaro Steel Plant (BSL) management signed an MoU to install first of its kind high-end reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) machines in the district for quick detection of COVID-19 at Bokaro General Hospital (BGH) in a bid to curtail the spread of the virus.
On behalf of the district administration, Civil Surgeon Dr. Ashok Kumar Pathak and Dr A K Singh, Director of BGH, then signed the MoU in the presence of Deputy Commissioner Bokaro Rajesh Singh.
We have sent the proposal (after MoU) for the cabinet’s approval, said Pathak adding, “still we are waiting for the cabinet's nod.”
After installing this RT-PCR machine district’s capacity to test the Sars-CoV-2 virus nucleic material, which causes Covid-19, will rise to 500 samples a day.
Until now, RT-PCR tests facilities are available at RIMS and Itki in Ranchi, Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College and Hospital (MGMMCH) in Jamshedpur and Patliputra Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) in Dhanbad and Hazaribag Medical College and Hospital (HMCH).
RT-PCR testing is the gold standard frontline test for Covid-19 can conduct up to 500 to 600 RT-PCR tests a day. The results would be delivered in 24 hours. If required, we can test up to 700 samples every day, said a district health department official.
Bokaro is witnessing a sharp surge in Coronavirus positive cases day-by-day; besides other major’s immediate installation of RT-PCR machine is essential at Bokaro, said an expert.