Coronavirus: Thane to begin 'rapid antigen tests' to detect COVID-19 quickly

The COVID-19 count in Thane district reached 57,004 on Monday as 1,700 people tested positive for novel coronavirus, while 35 deaths during the day took the toll to 1,651, an official said.

Maharashtra Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday commissioned a programme in Thane city to administer rapid antigen tests to detect COVID-19 quickly.

The Thane Municipal Corporation has placed an order for one lakh rapid antigen test kits, which can give results in 30 minutes, an official said, adding that tests will be conducted on a large-scale in hotspots, slum clusters etc using these kits.

Municipal Commissioner Vipin Sharma said the increase in cases was because of the rise in number of tests, adding that 80 per cent of patients in the city were asymptomatic.