COVID-19: IIT-Delhi launches rapid antigen test kit priced at Rs 50
New Delhi, June 25: The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi has come up with a rapid antigen test kit for Covid which is priced at Rs 50 and gives results within five minutes.
The ICMR approved test kit was launched by Union Minister of State for Education Sanjay Dhotre on Friday.
"I am confident that this technology will revolutionize the Covid test availability in the country. I am glad to know that the kit has been developed entirely using the internal resources at IIT-Delhi," Dhotre said during the launch.
The technology behind the test has been patented by IIT-Delhi. Professor Harpal Singh and his team from the Centre for Biomedical Engineering at the institute have developed the technology.
"This kit is used for in vitro qualitative detection of SARS-CoV-2 antigen meant for the qualitative determination in human nasal swabs, throat swabs and deep sputum samples. It is suitable for general population screening and diagnosis of COVID-19, Singh said.
"The identification is based on the monoclonal antibodies specific for the Coronavirus antigen. The results obtained are qualitative based and can be inferred visually with naked eye," he said.
The professor explained that the test is found to be suitable for early Ct values (Ct values between 14 to 32) with 90 per cent sensitivity, 100 per cent specificity and 98.99 pc accuracy.
The IIT has awarded licenses to two companies in the country for its commercial roll out.
Hon'ble Minister of State for Education Shri Sanjay Dhotre launched a Rapid Antigen Test kit for COVID-19 developed by IIT Delhi today.
— IIT Delhi (@iitdelhi) June 25, 2021
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World No. 1 Chakravarthy achieves career-best rating in ICC T20I bowler rankings
Dubai (PTI): India spinner Varun Chakravarthy on Wednesday consolidated his position at the top of the ICC Men's T20I Bowler Rankings, reaching a career-best rating following a stellar show in the ongoing T20 series against South Africa.
The 34-year-old Chakravarthy earned a new best rating of 818 points on the back of his third consecutive two-wicket haul in five-game home series.
The right-armer has six wickets across the first three matches of the series, with his spell of 2/11 from four economical overs in the most recent contest in Dharamsala proving pivotal in India's clinical seven-wicket triumph.
Chakravarthy (818 rating points) now holds a 119-point advantage over his closest rival in New Zealand seamer Jacob Duffy (699) in second-place, while also moveing inside the top 10 for the best rating of all-time for T20I bowlers.
Left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh also improved four places to 16th overall on the rankings for T20I bowlers on the back of his Player of the Match heroics against the Proteas in the third game.
For South Africa, Marco Jansen (up 14 spots to 25th), Lungi Ngidi (up 11 rungs to 44th) and Ottneil Baartman also improved, reaching 68th from outside the top 100.
Among T20I batters, India now boast two players inside the top five on the rankings, with Tilak Varma gaining two spots to move to fourth overall after a trio of decent innings against South Africa.
Teammate Abhishek Sharma maintains a decent buffer at the top, while South Africa duo Aiden Markram (up eight places to 29th) and Quinton de Kock (up 14 spots to 43rd) made good ground following some decent recent efforts.
Pakistan's Saim Ayub has a narrow lead at the top of the rankings for T20I all-rounders despite not playing any international matches across the last week, with India's Shivam Dube the big mover on this list as he improves two places to 16th.
