Chennai corporation’s testing centres, mobile units test few people with limited kits

CHENNAI: The sample testing centres and mobile centres of the city corporation, meant to collect nasal swabs from those suspected of Covid-19, test only a limited number of people, saying they are given very few kits per day.
Even in hotspots such as Royapuram and Pulianthope, people TOI spoke to said they are given 30-50 kits a day and could each collect 40-50 samples a day.
Greater Chennai Corporation’s six zones have 13,000 cases but those without symptoms, even those in contact with Covid-19 patients, are not tested and sent back with advice.
But senior officials said testing kits weren’t the problem.
“We are doing focused testing. We have surplus kits with us but we would test only those in contact with a Covid-19 patient and those with symptoms. There is a system in place and we are seeing positive results,” said Dr A Arun Thamburaj of Thiru Vi Ka nagar zone field support team.
K P Karthikeyan of the Tondiarpet team said they tested more than 200 samples every day. “We test everyone with symptoms. We hold at least 10 camps per day to collect samples. We want people to follow the protocols and guidelines,” he said.
An ambulance driver of one of the mobile testing units in one of the six hotspot zones said two weeks ago, 200-300 samples were collected daily. “But now, we only collect 30-50. Those with mild symptoms are given tablets and other medicines. We never skip those with comorbidities and senior citizens. But others are sent back,” he said on condition of anonymity.
Residents from non-hotspot zones complained of inaction, saying several sanitary inspectors, the first to be informed about a positive case, fail to act. A 42-year-old from Nanganallur in Alandur zone tested positive on June 2 at 6pm, but his family hasn’t been tested till date.
TOI called up various sample collection centres and found the numbers varied from 50 to 100. The testing centre at Ambattur tested only 50-70 people per day and sent back those whom not considered high-risk cases.