Testing begins at RMC

Rajshahi Medical College began testing for coronavirus from yesterday, using the Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) machine installed at the laboratory of its virology department.

The machine is capable of testing samples of 96 persons every six hours. However, authorities have decided to run tests of eight persons a day, considering the low number of suspects, an official of RMC said.

The laboratory would only test those who were prescribed by a committee of doctors who are the coronavirus-related focal points at upazilas and districts in Rajshahi region, they said.

Heads of hospitals would also send requests for coronavirus tests that would be okayed by senior health officials, including the civil surgeon and principal of RMC, they said.

The first test began with samples of throat and nasal swabs collected from a patient from the "Corona Unit" of Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, said microbiologist Sabera Gulnahar, who is chairing the virology department of RMC.

The patient, a 16-year boy from Paba upazila, has been kept in isolation since his admission four days ago.

"Two specially-trained technologists collected the samples, and we ran the samples for tests in the machine in the afternoon," said Dr Gulnahar, who is leading a 30-member team of 18 doctors and 12 technologists at the laboratory.

She said samples of four more patients from Bogura were on way to reach the laboratory by yesterday.

The PCR machine reached RMC on Thursday, as part of the government's initiative to expand its facility to conduct Covid-19 tests across the country. Six other medical colleges across the country have also been provided with the machines.

For initial launch of the PCR machine, the college was provided 240 kits for testing coronavirus, Prof Gulnahar said. "With the kits, PPE and N95 masks provided, we can run tests of samples from 96 persons every six hours with the PCR machine," she added.

"Not all patients require the test; we will test only those who require it," Rajshahi Civil Surgeon Md Enamul Haque told The Daily Star.