The Government of Kenya has warned its citizens against a Rapid Diagnostic Tests being carried out in parts of the country stating that they are capable of giving false Covid-19 results.
“These RDTs are a concern because they have permeated the market and are being vendored
out there and presented as a test for diagnosis of Covid-19,” Health CAS Rashid Aman said on Wednesday at the daily Covid-19 briefing.
Kenya has so far tested over 124,000 people, where 4044 have been confirmed since the start of testing in march 2020. The virus has killed 107 Kenyans, 1353 people have recovered.
The health ministry says its PCR test that has been okayed by the World Health organisation (WHO) is he best standard to use.
CAS Aman added, “Kenyans, please don’t take those results of an RTD test for now, giving comfort that you are Covid-19 negative or in some cases giving you the anguish that you are positive.”
The tests have only been authorised for use in telling the level of exposure in a community or
population and for purposes of survillance and research. The ministry plans to do some population
testing with it.
If you’re told you’ll be tested in 15 minutes with a prick to the fingertip, it’s the wrong test, the CAS said.
The country on Wednesday recorded the highest number of positive coronavirus cases at 184 as the ministry warned the numbers are expected to rise.
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