Rapid test approved for hospitals

The National National

THE Panbio coronavirus (Covid-19) antigen rapid diagnostic test (Ag-RDT) has been approved for use in Port Moresby General Hospital (PMGH) and all private health facilities in Papua New Guinea (PNG).
PNG Covid-19 National Pandemic Response Controller and Police Comm David Manning announced the approval in a media statement yesterday as a new measure to test suspected Covid-19 infections.
Certain conditions have been placed on the approval. They are:

  • TESTING to be limited to the following classes of person – persons who have been symptomatic as per the case definition (measure 8), for seven days or less and close contacts;
  • AG-RDT is not to be used for mass testing or screening of asymptomatic people, except in accordance with the measures;
  • ALL tests are to be confirmed by RT-PCR or GeneXpert Covid-19 tests;
  • ALL positive test results must be confirmed by GeneXpert Covid-19 test if possible or RT-PCR; and,
  • ALL persons who test positive shall be isolated and treated as a positive Covid-19 case until confirmatory test is received according to paragraph four.

The controller’s directive was issued on March 23.