It takes only less than half an hour to know if one is infected with coronavirus or not. The Rapid Test Kit developed by the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (RGCB) in Thiruvananthapuram can give the results within 30 minutes whereas the present testing procedures may take a day or so for giving the results.
The RGCB is awaiting the final; nod from the Indian Council of Medical Research for starting the production of the Rapid Test Kits. RGCB director told the media that preliminary tests were done and the final nod was awaited for the manufacture.
Once the approval is got, the RGCB looks forward to make at least two lakh kits a day. The State Government has already got ICMR’s permission to convert the RGCB into a full fledges testing facility once the outbreak spreads.
The Rapid Test Kit consists of two kits. One kit looks into the possibility of infection in patients. The second one will analyse the antigens produced by the human body due to the impact of the virus. Normally a patient will only have fever on the third day of the viral attack. And the tests are conducted only after the symptoms are shown. Bit a Rapid test Kit can detect if a person is infected and quarantine could be started at the earliest.
The Rapid test Kits cost only less than Rs 500 and is handy. This is sure going to increase the rate of testing.
The Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology is already an approved testing centre in the country. The centre has the capacity to test about 3000 samples a day.
