Bhubaneswar: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Monday conducted rapid antigen tests of as many as 207 people, including many frontline workers such as essential services staff, health workers, police and others in the Capital City of Odisha. Out of it, nine cases tested positive for the Coronavirus.
The Civic Body organized an antigen camp at the main Waiting Hall of Bhubaneswar Railway Station, where a total of 75 Government Railway Police (GRP) personnel were turned up for the test this morning. All of them tested negative with no serious health ailments.
Similarly, the BMC organized such a camp at Vivekananda Sikhyakendra in Sailashree Vihar, Ward No – 7 to conduct antigen tests of local vulnerable people and frontline workers. As many as 70 people, including some senior citizens were tested. And, two persons have tested positive for the coronavirus.
Likewise, the Civic Body has also conducted another such antigen testing camp at Baramunda Durga Puja Committee of Ward No – 50 for returnees and symptomatic people who came in contact with COVID positive cases. A total of 62 people, including senior citizens and frontline workers were tested at the camp, and seven out of them have tested positive for COVID-19.
On July 22, the BMC has started antigen testing, a quick Covid-19 diagnostic tool, to ramp up its testing rate, and so far over 900 people have been tested using this method in the Capital City.
Antigen tests detect the presence of a protein expressed by the coronavirus and can give the result in less than 30 minutes. The commonly used RT-PCR, or real-time polymerase chain reaction, test usually takes about five to six hours for a result.
