Bokaro is ready with a new screening test for Covid, the timing of which could not have been better as the district administration readies to receive over 14,000 migrant workers in the coming days.

The district, which is presently designated an orange zone, inaugurated a Truenat machine at sadar hospital on Friday. The health department will begin tests from Saturday.

The district civil surgeon, Dr A.K. Pathak, said initially, Truenat will be used to screen pregnant women, kidney patients and any others in need of emergency medical attention.

“A TB department team of three, including a lab technician and supervisor, has been trained to conduct the tests,” said an officer of the district health department.

Bokaro district, which has so far recorded 15 Covid-19 positive cases and one death, is dependent on Patliputra Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) in neighbouring Dhanbad for Covid testing.

Truenat, which Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) has approved for use in districts without Covid testing facilities, is an advance version of CB-NAAT that is being currently used at two hospitals in Bokaro, sadar and Bermo, for testing tuberculosis.

Truenat is a battery-operated machine that can test two swab samples simultaneously. Reports are ready within two hours. PMCH takes at least five days to issue test reports.

Truenat, as it is called, can test 40 samples a day. Telegraph picture

Three types of Covid-19 tests are being conducted in Jharkhand now. These are the rapid kit test, RT-PCR test in laboratories and Truenat.

Rapid kit tests require blood for screening and later depend on RT-PCR test for confirmation. There are five RT-PCR testing laboratories in Jharkhand, including MGM Hospital and Tata Main Hospital in Jamshedpur, RIMS and Itki hospital in Ranchi and PMCH in Dhanbad. Swab samples from across the state are sent to these hospitals. Reports, doctors admitted, are often delayed because of the high numbers.

According to the district TB officer, Dr M.P. Singh, Covid-19 swab tests on Truenat will begin at sadar hospital from Saturday.

The move to use Truenat will not only help the district’s efforts to combat the coronavirus outbreak, which is thankfully not severe in Bokaro, it will also help rule out the presence of the virus in the treatment of those with pre-existing ailments if and when they need immediate medical attention.

According to official records, since Februrary 15, 17,424 people have arrived in Bokaro from other states. Of them, 9,651 have been sent on home quarantine. As of now, 138 people are in district quarantine.

Of the 15 people who have tested positive, one has died and nine have recovered. Five patients, four of whom are with CISF and tested positive on Thursday, are being treated at the Covid ward of Bokaro General Hospital.

Giridih gets Truenat too

Giridih has also received a Truenat machine. Civil surgeon Awadesh Kumar Sinha said tests will start from Monday. As of now, 15 people have tested positive for Covid-19 in Giridih. While one person has recovered 14 patients are being treated at the Covid ward of sadar hospital.