As India is witnessing a rise in Covid-19 cases, amid a second wave of the pandemic, a negative RT-PCR test report has been made mandatory by several states for people to enter their cities.
Hospitals dealing with Covid-19 patients stated that even when a patient has typical symptoms of the disease, they test negative for the viral infection, sometimes twice or thrice even through RT-PCR- which is considered the gold standard for Covid testing.
Here are the costs of RT-PCR tests in several states across India —
MAHARASHTRA
On 1 April, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government slashed the prices of RT-PCR tests for the sixth time in Maharashtra.
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New rates: RT-PCR tests are fixed at Rs 500, Rs 600, and Rs 800.
For submission of samples at the collection centre, Rs 500 will be charged. For the same test at a COVID Care Centre or a quarantine centre, the charges will be Rs 600 and to collect the swab from home, the labs can charge Rs 800, the Mint reported.
Earlier, the charges for an RT-PCR test in Maharashtra were Rs 4,500.
DELHI
Last year, in November, the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party government fixed the price of the RT-PCR tests by private labs at Rs 800 in Delhi. The home collection of samples was fixed at Rs 1,200.
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Earlier, it was Rs 2,400 for the same.
UTTAR PRADESH
The price of RT-PCR tests has been fixed at Rs 700 in all the private hospitals. Private labs can charge an individual a total of Rs 900 if the sample is being collected from the patient’s home, Zee News reported.
GUJARAT
On April 19, the Gujarat government reduced the RT-PCR test charges for private laboratories from Rs 1,100 to Rs 900. This is set for cases when a laboratory assistant will come to collect the sample
In case, a person visits a laboratory to give his swab sample, he will be charged Rs 700 instead of Rs 800.
