Number of Covid-19 tests in Bengal too low: NICED director

Kolkata, April 13 (IANS) There is no shortage of coronavirus testing kits in West Bengal, but the number of tests are too low compared to the state's population and density, the National institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases chief said on Monday. "We have a stock of 27,500 testing kits. I don't think there was shortage of kits any time," NICED Director Shanta Dutta said. The testing of samples for coronavirus is carried out at the Regional Virus Research Diagnostic Lab of NICED. Asked whether the number of tests being carried out in the state was low, she replied in the affirmative. "I must say that the number is too low if you compare the number of states with the population in West Bengal. If you compare the testing done in other states, the number is definitely low," she said. Queried whether they were now getting only a few samples for testing, she said: "Yes, initially we used to get 80-90 samples during a 24-hour period. Surprisingly, we are not getting enough samples for the last 3-4 days. "Day before yesterday, we received only 18 samples, yesterday nine samples, today so far only 20 samples," she added.
--IANS ssp/vd