State to conduct 1 lakh COVID-19 tests daily

MP | 11 July 20 | Kolkata: Bengal government is importing eight Cobas 8800, high-speed testing machines for Covid-19 to conduct more number of tests per day. 

State health department has aimed at performing nearly one lakh Covid tests in a single day. 

This is a major initiative by the state government to cover and test a maximum number of people. 

Cobas machines are in high demand, from Swiss firm Roche Diagnostics. It was learnt that the import is being facilitated by the Center. 

State government had been in touch with the Indian Council of Medical Research for some time. 

The ICMR also urged the state government to accelerate the pace of Covid testing. State government readily accepted the proposal and placed the order for eight automated Cobas machines. 

The health department has a plan to conduct around 1,00,000 Covid tests per day throughout the state. 

According to sources, Roche's Cobas SARS-CoV-2 test provides reliable and high-quality results for clinical decision-making for the improved management of Covid-19 patients. It also reduces the risk of SARS-CoV-2 (coronavirus) infection. 

An upgraded Cobas model, can run up to 1,000 tests in an 8-hour shift. Both the health department and the NICED will work together to operate the advanced machines. 

A health official in the state claimed that Bengal is one of the few states to have automated machines to conduct RT-PCR tests. 

According to health department sources Cobas machines would be installed at Kolkata and North Bengal in the initial phase. 

machines would be set up at government run hospitals and laboratories. 

Using the Cobas machines would also be economically viable for the state government. State government is now spending around Rs 2.5 crore per day for conducting RT-PCR tests. 

State Health department has already started imparting training among the technicians to operate one of the most advanced machines. 

( Courtesy & source: http://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/state-to-conduct-1-lakh-covid-19-tests-daily-412516)