ZCZC
BSS-24
TEST-COVID-19-RANGPUR (with picture)
27 samples tested at COVID-19 Laboratory in Rangpur Monday
RANGPUR, April 6, 2020 (BSS) – Testing of 27 samples of suspected
coronavirus (COVID-19) infected patients completed at the COVID-19 Laboratory
of the Department of Microbiology at Rangpur Medical College (RMC) in the
city today.
“We tested samples of 27 suspected COVID-19 patients for the second time
today,” Head of the Department of Microbiology of RMC and Superintendent of
its COVID-19 Laboratory Associate Professor Dr. Mostakimur Rahman told BSS at
4:30 pm.
Earlier, collected samples of 42 suspected COVID-19 patients from
different districts of Rangpur division were tested successfully for the
first time last Friday after setting up of the Covid-19 Laboratory at RMC.
“It took five to six hours to complete the testing process of the
collected samples of throat swabs, blood and sweat and cough of suspected
patients at the laboratory today,” Dr. Rahman said, adding that the results
will be sent to the IEDCR later today.
Principal of RMC Professor Dr. AKM Nurunnabi Laizu said the COVID-19
Laboratory has been set up after completing installation of the Polymerase
Chain Reaction (PCR) machine after receiving the same from the IEDCR last
week.
“Later, we started testing samples of suspected COVID-19 infected patients
at the laboratory last Friday after getting kits, well plates and other
inputs from the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research
(IEDCR),” he said.
The IEDCR provided necessary training and instruction to the physicians,
technologists and technicians concerned before going to official testing of
COVID-19 infection maintaining international standards as per the IEDCR
guidance at the laboratory.
Focal Point of the COVID-19 Laboratory and Lecturer (Virology) of the
Department of Microbiology at RMC Dr. MA Aziz said the laboratory has a
capacity to test samples of 94 suspected patients simultaneously using 94
well plates once a day.
“During the testing process, two well plates, out of totally received 96
well plates from the IEDCR, are being kept for displaying results of COVID-19
positive or COVID-19 negative,” he added.
The trained technologists are collecting samples under supervision of the
Civil Surgeons, Superintendents of District Sadar Hospitals and Surveillance
Immunization Medical Officers of the World Health Organisation at the
district levels of Rangpur division.
“Later, the collected samples are being sent to the COVID-19 Laboratory at
RMC to test using the PCR machine to get correct results,” Dr. Aziz said,
adding that the test results will be sent to the IEDCR at Dhaka later today.
BSS/MI/FI/ 1654 hrs