Delhi slashes rates of RTPCR test, details

New Delhi: In a recent notice, the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi Health and Family Welfare Department has fixed the maximum price for the RT-PCR test for COVID-19.

The government team (District CDMO Office or Hospital) directed private sector labs to mandatorily collect the samples from the testing sites.

The new rates of conventional RT-PCR test wherein samples are collected by govt. teams and collected from the collection sites by private-sector labs as requisitioned by the Districts/Hospitals are set at Rs. 200.

Moreover, Rs. 300 will be charged if the samples are collected by private lab teams for government and processed further at their lab, and individuals give their samples at the Labs/Private Hospital/Collection facilities for paid testing at their own expense.

Samples collected through home visits will be charged Rs. 500. The Rapid Antigen detection Test (RAT) will cost Rs. 100 only, the notice specified.

Before processing the samples, all private labs will have to ensure that the samples will be processed latest within 12 hours of being received in the lab with all the positive results being updated on the ICMR portal mandatorily within 30 mins of samples being processed followed by updating of all negative results latest within 24 hours from the receipt of samples in the lab.