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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We received request; will decide soon whether to support TVK: Thirumavalavan
Chennai (PTI): VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan on Thursday said that his party received a request from TVK for support and the high-level committee of his party will decide whether to support the Vijay-led party to form the government.
The TVK won 108 seats in the 234-member Assembly and emerged as the single largest party. Vijay will have to resign from one of the two constituencies he has won.
Though the Congress party, which has five MLAs, has extended support to TVK, the actor-politician-led party was still short of as many seats to touch the magic number of 118, the majority mark in the 234-member House.
"We received the request letter from TVK. We are thankful for that. We have not ignored his (Vijay's) request. We have a procedure. Therefore, our party's high-level committee will decide soon. We are going to discuss the merits and demerits of our position," the VCK leader told reporters here.
With regard to the delay in the governor's call to the TVK, which is the single largest party, to form the government, Thirumavalavan requested the governor to invite Vijay to form the government. "It is a constitutional right and people's verdict," he added.
Asserting that the governor cannot say that Vijay should hold 118 MLAs' support now itself to form the government, he said that after taking over power, Vijay has to prove an absolute majority only on the floor of the Assembly.
