Covid test results confuse Kolkatans with traits of infection

 Those with symptoms but testing negative should stay in isolation, suggest doctors

A woman being tested for Covid-19.File Picture

SANJAY MANDAL | TT  | 11.01.22: Husband positive, wife negative although both have similar symptoms of Covid.

Covid test results are creating new problems in many families, from isolation to doubts about whether or not to ignore the negative test results.

Doctors and public health experts said even if one person in a family in which another has tested positive, has symptoms, then that person should stay in isolation even if the result is negative.

There are several instances across the city where several members of a family or a group have signs of Covid but after tests, results are varying.

At Narendrapur in the southern fringes of the city, the husband and wife, both working in private firms, had fever, sore throat and body ache, all symptoms of Covid. “While my husband tested positive, my report was negative,” said the wife. Both were advised seven days home isolation by the physician.

At Mandevilla gardens, a businessman had sat in a café with three school friends for a chat about a week ago .

Two days later, all four had fever. While three tested positive, the businessman’s result came negative.

“It is difficult to explain why tests of two individuals, who were in close contact and having symptoms are having different results. One of the reasons could be someone is having a high viral load while another’s is low and not getting detected during initial tests,” said Abhijit Chowdhury, public health expert and member of the Bengal government’s Covid management team.

He said another reason could be the high volume of cases and tests. “In the first two waves also this was happening, but the numbers were low. However, this time, we have a very high volume of tests and so such varied results are more,” Chowdhury pointed out.

He also said there could be human errors at the diagnostic laboratories because of high volume tests and depleting manpower.

In Bengal, on Monday, 51,678 Covid tests with a positivity rate of 31.32 percent. Compared to this, on December 26, 22,533 tests were conducted across the laboratories in the state with a positivity rate of 2.41 percent.

Several private hospitals said the pressure on their Covid testing facilities has increased several times.

RN Tagore International Institute of Cardiac Sciences would test 100 samples for Covid everyday about 15 days back. On Monday, the hospital tested 550 samples.

The number of tests have gone up. Several laboratory technicians are infected and in home isolation. So, there is severe pressure on the depleted manpower.

Doctors said those with symptoms but testing negative should stay in isolation.

“We have to consider all fever and other symptoms as Covid cases. Even those testing negative should stay isolated and if possible get tested again after 24 hours,” said Sauren Panja, the head of critical care unit at RN Tagore International Institute of Cardiac Sciences.