SILCHAR, Sept 4 - In an interesting development, even as three patients including two doctors have been found to be COVID-19 negative in the Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RTPCR) tests which had been done twice for each of them, the patients have clinical features of the virus as per CT scan of their chests, said Dr Bhaskar Gupta, Vice Principal of Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH).
Briefing about the daily medical reports at the hospital on Thursday, Dr Gupta said, �Recently, the three patients had undergone the RTPCR tests on at least two occasions and on each occasion, their results came out to be negative. However, the patients, in the age bracket of 30-50 years have shown clinical symptoms following which CT scan of their chests were done and the radiological findings of symptoms of pneumonia were akin to COVID-19 features. They will be treated at the hospital.�
Dr Gupta further informed that while the sensitivity of RTPCR test is 80 per cent, the specificity of the mode of test to ascertain COVID-19 is 100 per cent. �In RTPCR tests, a large number of swab samples across locations could be collected and tested which has been the protocol followed world over. However, from the diagnostic and prognostic point of view, CT scan plays a vital role in detecting the cases. If the RTPCR results yield negative result but patients have clinical symptoms it is always a wise step to undergo a CT scan to be absolutely sure regarding the virus, � the Vice Principal maintained.
On the other hand, Dr Gupta informed that even as the hospital registered as many as 42 COVID-19 casualties out of the 108 deaths at the hospital so far, but there were no deaths at the hospital in the last 24 hours. �Till 7:30 pm on Thursday, there has been no death case reported so far,� Dr Gupta asserted. He was quick to add that as many as 88,680 swab samples have undergone the RTPCR tests yielding 4,339 COVID-19 cases while 666 positive cases have resulted from 5,702 Rapid Antigen Tests (RAT) at the hospital. With 16 patients at the hospital�s ICU and two on ventilator support, 52 patients are being given oxygen support, Dr Gupta informed.
Meanwhile, Suman Choudhury, the District Media Expert informed that out of 208 inmates at the Silchar Central Jail who were tested, as many as 121 inmates have been found to be COVID-19 positive under RAT examination so far.
