Puzzled Rajasthan MP Found Covid-19 Positive in Lok Sabha Tests Negative in Jaipur, Tweets Reports

Rajasthan MP Hanuman Beniwal has questioned the authenticity of the Covid-19 diagnostic tests after he received two contrary reports, one which said he tested positive and the other which said he tested negative.

Beniwal, who represents the Nagaur constituency, tweeted the images of the two different test reports. The first test, conducted by the ICMR – National Institute of Cancer Research and Prevention as part of the mandatory testing before the monsoon session of Parliament, showed he had the virus.

The second test was conducted at the Sawai Man Singh Hospital in Jaipur after he went back unable to attend Parliament. The test sample was negative for coronavirus.

Puzzled by the different results, he tweeted, “I got checked for Covid-19 in Lok Sabha premises, which came positive. Then I got tested at the SMS medical hospital in Jaipur and the report came negative. I am sharing both the reports with you, which report should be considered correct?” he asked his followers.

The tests were conducted two days apart. Both were RT-PCR tests, which are considered to be more reliable than the antigen tests. The RT-PCR tests detect viral RNA or its genetic material. They ‘amplify’ viral RNA while detecting it and because of this amplification step, RT-PCR tests for viral RNA are more sensitive than antigen tests.

Beniwal, chief of the RLP, was among the at least 25 parliamentarians who have tested positive for Covid-19 during the mandatory testing conducted before the Parliament session. Of these, 17 are from the Lok Sabha.

Among those infected in the Lok Sabha, the BJP has the maximum with 12 MPs, the YRS Congress has two, and the Shiv Sena and DMK have one each, apart from RLP’s Beniwal. The Lok Sabha members were tested at the Parliament House on September 13 and 14, sources said.