Coronavirus: Diagnostic labs say they need more supplies of material used in COVID-19 testing
A large diagnostic chain has sounded caution over an impending shortage of material used in testing for COVID-19 amid a surge in cases across the country in what is now being called a deadly second wave.
Thousands and thousands of people have been scrambling every day to send their samples for Covid testing. This surge in testing volume has added to the pressure of diagnostics labs across towns and cities.
"As the city grapples for oxygen and hospital beds, the latest update regarding shortage of supplies of essential testing reagents for inflammatory marker tests such as IL6 (interleukin 6), D Dimer and CRP is becoming another problematic area," Dr Arjun Dang of Dr Dangs Lab said in a statement.
"These are important tests that directly dictate management of Covid positive patients and empower physicians to take timely decisions regarding next steps and also to advice hospital admission," said Dr Dang, whose lab founded in 1983 is counted among India's best.
"We humbly request the authorities concerned to step in immediately and help diagnostic labs across India to expedite supplies of these reagents from manufacturers so that the labs can give timely reports to patients," Dr Dang said.
Another top diagnostics chain, Dr Lal PathLabs, in a tweet on Friday denied allegations by some people on social media that it had stopped taking samples for Covid testing.
"Dr Lal PathLabs would like to clarify on the misinformation being circulated regarding discontinuing the RTPCR testing in Delhi NCR. Please note that this information is not true and we continue to test to the best of our ability and capacity," Dr Lal PathLabs tweeted.
"Our teams are working hard to collect and test within reasonable turnaround time. We continue to remain focused on the task at hand and fully support the effort in fighting the pandemic," it said.
The caution over a possible shortage of material needed for testing comes amid a tragic shortage of medical oxygen in hospitals in several states, including Delhi.
Social media is full of stories of desperate people trying to find oxygen or a hospital bed for their friends and family.
More and more people this time are complaining of breathlessness, which needs oxygen support. However, the supply of oxygen has become severely limited due to the sudden jump in demand across cities and towns.