COVID tests for only symptomatic people, primary contacts

As coronavirus has raised alarm bells nationwide, the testing labs in Belagavi are overburdened amid the second wave of the COVID-19 virus.
Recently reports of 12 persons as positive came after a period of 18 days who were primary contacts of Chief minister in a private hotel when he was here in Belagavi.

In most cases the results from Private labs (KLE-JNMC and Maratha Mandal) come in 24- 36 hours but results from, BIMS and PHCs samples take any time from 4 to 8 days.

To reduce the immense stress, the state government has tweaked its testing strategy where only symptomatic people and primary contacts of COVID-19 patients will be subjected to tests. Also, those who come on their own for tests would be tested..

This move will help in improving the efficiency of the labs during these testing times. Laboratories are reeling under pressure as more patients are turning up to get tested out of fear, thereby adding to their woes.

In Belagavi the tests daily range from 3500-4000 tests a day. The number of tests has come down, but the positivity rate has gone up.