No more rapid testing, throat swabs to re-check for already done cases

LUDHIANA: The 396 people who had undergone rapid testing will have to endure throat swabs again. The decision was made on Friday when three patients who had tested positive on April 22 at Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, were declared negative after their throat swabs were tested.


The 72-year-old from Amarpura had also tested negative through throat swab recently and has been cured, but was declared positive through rapid testing kit.

Deputy commissioner Pradeep Kumar Agrawal said “It has been decided that all people have to go through throat swabs gradually. We will start with those who have symptoms like acute respiratory distress and fever.”

The four contacts of assistant commisioner of police, including 50-year-old wife, 28-year-old station house officer, 46-year-old assistant sub-inspector and 54-year-old district mandi officer, 50-year-old wife were found to be positive through rapid testing.

As many as 656 rapid testing kits are still with the health department. On April 16, city received 50 kits and on April 19, 1,000 more kits were received.