Coronavirus: Noguchi has capacity to test 1000 cases a day, but only 166 samples tested since outbreak

Mar 18 , 2020 | Graphic Online

The Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) has so far tested 166 samples of suspected cases of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Ghana since the outbreak.

This, according to Noguchi was far below its capacity and therefore dismissed assertions in some quarters that it was being inundated with cases it cannot handle.

As of Tuesday, March 17, 2020, seven cases had tested positive for the disease in Ghana.

In a radio interview on Wednesday, Noguchi denied assertions that it did not have the capacity to test the number of cases it was being inundated with.

Noguchi explained that it has the capacity to test 800 cases (200 x 4) in a day and can even do 1000 tests in a day.

“Since COVID-19 started, as at yesterday afternoon [March 17, 2020], we had tested only 166 samples. So this is far, far below our capacity. So if anybody says that …it is not true at all,” the Director of Noguchi said in a radio interview with Accra based Citi FM.

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