COVID-19 self-testing kits to be available in 3-4 days: ICMR DG

New Delhi: Home self-testing kits intended to detect COVID-19 infection will be available in the market in the next three to four days, ICMR Director-General Balram Bhargava said on Thursday.

"Rapid Antigen Tests (RAT) home testing kits for COVID-19 will be available in the market in three to four days. It will help in isolation of patients during initial stages of the infection as it gives quick results," Dr Bhargava said at a media briefing.

"One company has already made the mobile application for the booking purpose. Three more companies in the pipeline," he added.

Dr Bhargava said Rapid Antigen Tests will help ramp up testing against coronavirus.

"We have a testing capacity of about 17 lakh per day and RT-PCR capacity of 12-13 lakh per day. Sometimes RT-PCR takes much time but ideally it should give result in 24 hours," he said, adding that RAT can give result immediately.

Earlier in the day, Pune's Mylab Discovery Solutions launched India's first self-testing kit for COVID-19, which has received the approval of the ICMR.

"This test is for self-use. If you test positive via this there's no need for the RT-PCR test as per ICMR. Any adult can use this kit by reading our manual," Director of Mylab Discovery Solutions, Sujeet Jain told ANI.

"It takes two minutes to conduct the test and 15 minutes to get the result. It will be available by end of next week in more than 7 lakh pharmacies and our online pharmacy partners across India. Our target is to reach 90 percent pin codes in India," Jain said.