626 fresh cases, 23 deaths reported: Positivity rate of Covid-19 remains 4.43pc in Punjab

LAHORE: The positivity rate of Covid-19 remained 4.43 percent in Punjab, as out of 14112 tests conducted across the province, as many as 626 were tested positive with 23 deaths during the last 24 hours taking the provincial tally of cases to 137, 295 and fatalities to 3982.

With recovery of 280 more patients, the number of recovered patients has reached to 122,932 in the province.

As per break up of cases and deaths due to corona in major cities of the province, Lahore has so far reported 67597 cases and 1580 deaths, Rawalpindi 12978 cases and 690 deaths, Faisalabad 7555 cases and 342 deaths, Multan 8597 cases and 302 deaths, Gujranwala 4329 cases and 98 deaths, Sargodha 2512 cases and 102 deaths, Sialkot 2960 cases and 121 deaths and Bahawalpur reported 3565 cases and 121 fatalities.

On the other hand, Roche Diagnostics Pakistan has already launched a new 99.6% specific SARS-CoV-2 Rapid Antigen Test, to enable clinicians to make timely decisions for their patients, rather than spend crucial hours waiting for the results of the PCR tests prior to their surgeries or emergency treatments.

This test is part of a new class of quicker screening tools named for the identifying proteins called antigens they detect on the surface of SARS-CoV-2. As a valuable tool that produces results much more quickly than the gold-standard PCR diagnostic assay, Roche’s Rapid Antigen test delivers quick results in 15 minutes, thereby helping the hospitals in managing the emergencies, surgeries and operations on a timely basis. This test also earlier received approval from WHO and CDC followed by NCOC and Pakistan’s Ministry of Health.

“The second wave of Covid-19 in Pakistan is proving to be deadlier, requiring more efforts on every front. In such an alarming situation, the Rapid Antigen Test could ease the burden on PCR testing. Wherever the PCR test is inaccessible or not available, our 96.5% sensitive test can aid in testing symptomatic as well as asymptomatic patients who have had confirmed exposure to the virus or who work in highly risky environments,” said Abdul Qayyum, Country Manager of Roche Diagnostics Pakistan.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020