Diagnostic chains plan to scale up as Covid cases surge
New Delhi: Leading diagnostic chains are looking to scale up their operations amid surging Covid-19 cases in the country. Executives said they were seeing a "noticeable" spike in the testing, particularly RT-PCR and
rapid antigen tests
. However, there is little consensus on taking booster shots.
"To ensure prompt service, we've enhanced our testing capacity, streamlined workflows, and reinforced staffing, even extending working hours. Rapid RT-PCR machines and AI-based analytics have been integrated to reduce turnaround times and now average 4-6 hours for urgent cases," said Dr. Shelly (Mittal) Mahajan, lab director & clinical lead at Mahajan Imaging & Labs.
India's Covid cases have crossed 6,000 with 358 new cases being reported in the last 24 hours. According to data by the Union health ministry, Kerala has been the most affected by Covid-19, with as many as 1,957 active cases. Gujarat saw the maximum increase of 158 cases since yesterday followed by Karnataka (57), West Bengal (54) and Delhi with 42 new cases.
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Mahajan said they have already proactively scaled up operations to meet the growing demand. "We are witnessing a noticeable increase in Covid-19 testing, particularly RT-PCR and rapid antigen tests," she said.
With learnings from past waves, Dr Navin Dang, founder and chairman of Dr Dangs Lab, said they were "well prepared" to address any eventuality. "We know what is to be done now, and if there is any need, we will scale up in no time," Dr Dang said.
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Executives said testing has increased by 70% already and 25-30% of those tested now confirmed positive.
"Over approximately the last 2-3 months, we are witnessing a spike in Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) testing by 70%. The rise in testing is a positive shift as people are now choosing awareness over fear. These new variants like JN.1, NB.1.8.1, and LF.7 could announce infections with mild flu-like symptoms, but without timely testing and patient isolation, they can spread rapidly and infect more people. Timely testing is crucial as it allows prompt intervention and improves one's overall well-being," said Dr Pranav Gupta, consultant and head, molecular biology at Apollo Diagnostic, Delhi.
The Covid-19 curve still refuses to flatten in the country, and the cases are commonly seen in people of all age groups.
Doctors say people with Covid are showing symptoms like the previous strain, mainly Omicron. The common symptoms include sore throat, fatigue, mild fever, cough, and occasional stomach upset or poor appetite. Loss of taste and smell is less common this time, but persistent cold-like symptoms will need timely attention. Doctors are vouching for measures like masks in crowded places and maintaining good hand hygiene. However, booster shots are not needed at this point, said Anurag Agrawal, Dean, Biosciences and Health Research at the Ashoka university.
Dr RR Dutta, HoD, internal medicine, Paras Health, Gurugram said the virus can adversely affect vital organs such as the lungs, heart, kidneys, and even the brain in severe cases. "Preventive measures such as avoiding unnecessary gatherings and staying up to date with Covid-19 vaccinations and booster doses remain essential to reduce transmission risk and safeguard public health."
Surendran Chemmenkotil, CEO,
Metropolis Healthcare Ltd
said that they have too seen a threefold increase in Covid-19 testing volumes.
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