China Diverts Coronavirus Rapid Test Kits Meant For India To US

A consignment of four lakh rapid test kits to help health officials detect Coronavirus (Covid-19) in Tamil Nadu has been diverted to the United States by China.

Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary Dr K Shanmugam told the media on Saturday (11 April) that this had delayed the State from carrying out rapid tests for Covid-19 as scheduled from 10 April, India Today reported.

Shanmugam said Tamil Nadu was among the first to place orders for 50,000 kits from China as soon as the Centre told the State that they could order for such kits on their own.

The state had placed an order for a total of four lakh kits. Since the order was placed early, China was set to dispatch the test kits soon.

Currently, the state has 15,000 test kits, but these do not produce results as quickly as the rapid ones. Tamil Nadu planned to resort to rapid tests as the number of those testing positive for Coronavirus has been rising rapidly.

Until 11 April evening, 969 persons had tested positive for the pandemic virus in the State with 10 succumbing to it. Nearly 90 per cent of the cases (859) has been traced to the Tablighi Jamaat Aalami Marzkaz Nizamuddin congregations held in Delhi last month.

The rapid tests will help health officials to detect if a person has Coronavirus in 30 minutes. The Tamil Nadu government planned to test persons with signs of pneumonia.

Shanmugam said the Centre has also assured to supply 50,000 rapid testing kits as soon as it gets the next consignment from China.