Mumbai: Cong leader Sanjay Nirupam blames low testing capacity for 'weaker COVID fight'

Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam on Saturday said that low COVID-19 testing capacity in Mumbai arising out of fewer testing labs is making the fight against the pandemic weaker. The remark comes amid allegations that testing in Mumbai as well as in Maharashtra is being decreased as against its capacity to taper fast-rising number of new confirmed cases.

On Twitter, the former MP wrote: "Mumbai has fewer testing labs. Therefore testing is decreasing. Testing labs have a high workload. There are hardly 4000 reports daily. It is taking 4-5 days for the report to arrive. By then, the patient's condition is getting worse. So we are proving weak in fighting Coronavirus."

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Maharashtra caps testing price at Rs 2200

Maharashtra government, earlier in the day, capped the maximum price for COVID-19 tests (RT-PCR) at Rs 2200. Moreover, the maximum price for testing by collecting samples from home has been capped at Rs 2800. Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) had capped the maximum testing price at Rs 4500 but had then removed the all-India cap. Previously, the Tamil Nadu government capped the cost of testing to ₹3,000  and an additional Rs 500 for a home visit.

Explaining the testing price capped by the Maharashtra government on RT-PCR tests, state Health Minister Rajesh Tope, said that the decision was the need of the hour to boost testing. He hailed the decision saying, currently, Maharashtra has the lowest testing price limit in India. Moreover, he said that the capping of price on testing will allow more private labs to test and private offices which wished to test employees before re-opening. 

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Worst affected city & state

Mumbai is the worst affected city in the country with a total of 56,740 COVID-19 cases and 2,111 deaths due to the virus. The city reported 1383 new cases of COVID-19 and 69 deaths on Saturday. 

Maharashtra, which is the worst-hit state by the coronavirus pandemic, crossed the one lakh-mark on Friday. On Saturday, the state recorded 3,427 new Covid-19 cases, taking the total tally to 1,04,568. The death toll too rose to 3,830 with 113 deaths reported in the last 24 hours.

READ | Maharashtra Health Min Explains COVID Testing Price Cap; Claims 'we Have India's Lowest'

READ | Maharashtra Reports 3,427 COVID-19 Cases On Saturday; Total Tally Propels To 1,04,568