India may run out of RNA testing kits for coronavirus in about a week as only close to 3 lakh units of the kits are now left in stock and around 38,000 samples are being tested on an average daily.
The fast depleting stocks are likely to hit testing rates in the country at a time when the central government was looking to increase testing to one lakh samples a day.
A source was quoted by The Indian Express as saying that they were looking to acquire three million RNA extraction kits and one million viral transport medium kits. "The problem is that the RT-PCR kits cannot be used without the RNA extraction kits," the source told the new outlet.
Earlier, a shortage of the kits was flagged by Madhya Pradesh, with the state's hardest-hit city -- Indore -- in acute need of the crucial kits.
The kit extracts the RNA from the novel coronavirus, the composition of which is then compared in RT-PCR tests to identify the virus. One RNA extraction kit is required for each test.
The shortage is likely to throw a wrench in the Centre's plans of ramping up testing. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) had earlier issued an advisory to states to identify nodal officers for the procurement of equipment essential for testing. “All labs certified by ICMR will procure VTM & RNA extraction kits through states,” it had said.
The development comes when serological or rapid antibody tests have already been suspended across the country after complaints from several statesc about defects in kits imported from China led to inconclusive results.
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