Pindi laboratories' Covid-19 testing capacity to reach 600 tests daily: commissioner.

RAWALPINDI -- Although Covid-19 testing in Rawalpindi is slow, with laboratories conducting 110 tests a day, Commissioner retired Capt Mohammad Mehmood said on Wednesday that the city's testing capacity will be increased to 600 tests daily in a day or two.

Mr Mehmood told Dawn that the Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH) and Holy Family Hospital (HFH) labs carry out 90 tests every day, while 20 tests are sent to the National Institute of Health (NIH).

However, he said, the Punjab government is in the process of procuring an auto-extractor to enhance testing capacity from 90 to 600.

He added that the number of beds in the Rawalpindi Institute of Urology, BBH and HFH are also being increased.

'Most of the additional beds with be attached to oxygen, as many patients face breathing difficulties. The number of beds at BBH will be increased from 147 to 347, while the beds at RIU will be increased from 80 to 160 and the beds at HFH will be increased from 44 to 64. The National Disaster Management Authority will provide ventilators and portable PCR machines to test patients,' he said.

Asked about health certificates for workers at bakeries and other food outlets, Mr Mehmood said that no sampling has been carried out at bakeries as of Wednesday. He said only the implementation of standard operating procedures is being ensured, 'since our teams are committed to contact sampling.'

He said it is not possible to issue certificates to food outlets and their staff declaring them free of the coronavirus, as health experts have said the validity of a negative test is just three to five days.

'This means that once a suspected patient tests negative for Covid-19 by RT PCR, he can test positive after three to five days [depending on exposure]. So no certificate can be issued [stating] that a person is and will remain negative,' he said.

Regarding expensive Covid-19 tests carried out by private laboratories, Mr Mehmood said that two private labs - Teemar and Bahria Hospital in Phase 8 - charge Rs2,000 per test and both are sponsored by the NIH.

'Others charge from Rs6,000 to...

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