345 govt institutes, 131 private hospitals conduct coronavirus tests: ICMR

The Indian Council of Medical Research has updated a list of laboratories that are conducting coronavirus tests. There are as many as 345 government labs and 131 private labs that are doing coronavirus testing in the country.

At present, the government and private hospitals are conducting three kinds of testing for COVID-19: Real-Time RT PCR, TrueNat Test, and CBNAAT Test.

Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction or RT-PCR is a nucleic acid-based test that is the most sensitive in early detection of infection. In this test, healthcare staff collects a sample by swabbing the nasal passage or throat.

TrueNat Test is generally used to detect tuberculosis. In TrueNat test doctors take sputum samples of patients.

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Cartridge Based Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (CB-NAAT)- diagnostic machines are used to test drug-resistant tuberculosis. Use of CB NAAT is part of ICMR's larger plan to have options for testing if coronavirus outbreak peaks in India further.

So far, Indian hospitals/labs have done 391 Real-Time RT PCR for coronavirus, which includes 277 in government institutes, and 114 in private institutes.

A total of 55 TrueNat Test (Government: 53 plus Private: 02) were conducted, so far. As many as 30 CBNAAT tests were done, that is 15 each in government and private hospitals.

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State-wise Real-Time RT PCR for COVID-19:

• Andhra Pradesh- 51
• Arunchal Praesh- 2
• Assam- 7
• Bihar - 7
• Chandigarh-3
• Chhattisgarh-5
• Delhi-27 (Govt: 13; Private: 14)
• Gujarat-27 (Govt: 16; Private: 11)
• Haryana- 18 (Govt: 11; Private: 7)
• Himachal Praesh-5
• Jammu and Kashmir-5
• Jharkhand- 5 (Govt: 4; Private: 1)
• Karnataka-35 (Govt: 21; Private: 14)
• Kerala-21 (Govt: 15; Private: 6)
• Maharshtra-61 (Govt: 34; Private: 27)
• Madhya Pradesh-17 (Govt: 12; Private: 5)
• Manipur-2
• Maeghalaya-3
• Odisha-8 (Govt: 7; Private: 1)
• Puducherry-2
• Punjab-6 (Govt: 4; Private: 2)
• Rajasthan-20 (Govt: 17; Private: 3)
• Tamil Nadu-53 (Govt: 37; Private: 16)
• Telangana-20 (Govt: 9; Private: 11)
• Tripura-1
• Uttar Pradesh-26 (Govt: 22; Private: 4)
• Uttarakhand-5 (Govt: 4; Private: 1)
• West Bengal-21 (Govt: 13; Private: 8)
• Andaman and Nicobar Islands-3
• Dadra & Nagar Haveli-1

States and UTs doing TrueNat test for COVID-19:

• Andhra Pradesh-22 (govt hospitals)
• Arunachal Pradesh-1 (govt hospital)
• Chhattisgarh-1 (govt hospital)
• Goa-4 (govt hospitals)
• Maharashtra- 1(private hospital)
• Madhya Pradesh- 1(private hospital)
• Nagaland-2 (private hospital)
• Andaman & Nicobar Islands -1 (govt hospital)
• Sikkim -1 (govt hospital)

States and UTs doing CB NAAT test for COVID-19:

• Delhi-1 (govt)
• Gujarat-1 (private)
• Haryana-3 (govt)
• Karnataka-7 (4 govt hospitals and 3 private)
• Kerala-2 (one each in govt and private  labs
• Maharashtra-5 (1 govt hospitals and 4 private)
• Tamil Nadu-2 (private)
• Andaman & Nicobar Islands - 1 (govt)