RT-PCR test unavailable since eleven days

Rajbiraj, Aug 12. RT-PCR tests for Corona Virus remains closed at Gajendra Narayan Singh Hospital in Rajbiraj for the past eleven days. At a time when the threat of a possible third wave of COVID-19 is on the rise, RT-PCR testing has been halted.

Lab in-charge of the hospital, Prakash Kumar Yadav, said that the test service was stopped for the time being as the report showed positive instead of negative and negative instead of positive when loading samples in the PCR machine for testing. Stating that antigen test is however going on, he said that the machine could not give good result while loading the swab sample in the PCR machine.

The provincial government has provided two PCR machines each in other districts of Province No. 2, but for Saptari district, only one PCR machine has been provided. Medical Superintendent of the hospital Dr. Ranjit Kumar Jha said that the swab test of corona virus could not be conducted due to technical glitch in the PCR machine.

Around 20 to 25 people come to the hospital daily for testing. Prior to this, PCR tests had been stopped for two days in late July due to a malfunction in the PCR machine. Although the service resumed with the help of technicians, the test service has stopped again. RSS/File photo