Uniform mechanism needed to detect suspected cases, collect samples

It is worrying to learn that the low number of Covid-19 positive cases in Bangladesh could be due to flaws in detecting suspected cases and collecting samples. While other countries struggling with the virus have a much higher rate of infection at stage 4 of the outbreak, the number of positive cases in Bangladesh at the same stage is still very low. As of April 15, the authorities tested 14,868 samples in total and confirmed 1,231 positive cases across the country, which means the infection rate here is only 8.2 percent.

The fears expressed by the experts have valid grounds because of the disparity in the number of cases found in Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) and the 15 other testing labs across the country. The BSMMU has found a higher number of positive cases compared to the other testing facilities where the number of negative cases still remains higher. According to our report, from April 1 to April 12, the BSMMU lab detected 136 positive cases from 369 samples, which means around 34 percent of all the samples tested positive.

So why this disparity in the number of positive cases when all the labs in the country have been using the same PCR technique to conduct the tests? According to doctors and health professionals, there must be some serious flaws in the case selection process and the skills of the lab technicians. The labs that are testing suspected Covid-19 patients must follow a uniform mechanism to select the people they are going to test. A rigorous background check of the patients before carrying out any test is absolutely necessary, which the BSMMU has been doing with much success. If samples are not collected from the actual suspected patients, test results will definitely be negative.

Then comes the issue of sample collection. We need skilled people to collect samples from suspected cases, for which the lab technicians need proper training. Also, there should be a uniform technique to collect samples. While the BSMMU lab has been collecting sputum samples for conducting the tests, all other labs in the country have collected nasal and throat swabs so far. Thus, the authorities need to decide on this, too.

We think the entire testing activity needs to be brought under a uniform mechanism to get the real picture of the Covid-19 outbreak in the country. Only by knowing the real number of infections can we overcome our shortcomings in response, and fight the outbreak efficiently. Otherwise, the shutdown enforced by the government to contain the spread of the virus will be futile.