Hard-hit Peru's costly bet on cheap COVID-19 antibody tests

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Peru’s heavy reliance on COVID-19 antibody tests to identify active infections is leading to confusion among patients and delays in getting treatment – helping fuel one of the world’s deadliest coronavirus outbreaks.

FILE - In this April 15, 2020 file photo, a healthcare worker testing for the new coronavirus monitors the results of antibody tests, inside a home in Lima, Peru. Peru imported millions of COVID-9 antibody tests to detect infections, even though they are not designed to identify active cases. Some have been banned from distribution in the United States after being found faulty.

Unlike almost every other nation, Peru is relying heavily on rapid antibody blood tests to diagnose active cases – a purpose for which they are not designed. The tests cannot detect early COVID-19 infections, making it hard to quickly identify and isolate the sick. Epidemiologists interviewed by The Associated Press say their misuse is producing a sizable number of false positives and negatives, helping fuel one of the world’s worst COVID-19 outbreaks.

The World Health Organization was calling on authorities to ramp up testing to prevent the virus from spreading out of control. One particular test – a polymerase chain reaction exam – was deemed the best option. Using a specimen collected from deep in the nose, the test is developed on specialized machines that can detect the genetic material of the virus within days of infection.

For years, Peru has invested a smaller part of its GDP on public health than others in the region. As COVID-19 approached, glaring deficiencies in Peru became evident. There were just 100 ICU beds available for COVID-19 patients, said Dr. Víctor Zamora, who was appointed to lead Peru’s Ministry of Health in March. Corruption scandals had left numerous hospital construction projects on pause.

Antibody tests didn’t require high-skill training or even a lab; municipal workers with no medical education could be taught how to administer then. Weeks later, Canayo was still feeling bad and getting worse. Ministry of Health officials arrived at Cantagllo in early May, armed with 120 rapid tests.“How can they say I don’t have it?” he asked his sister later. “I feel all the symptoms.”

Peru’s central government purchased nearly six million antibody tests of four different brands in the initial months of the pandemic, according to public records. At least one, imported from China made by Core Technology Co., does not have approval by China’s medical regulatory agency. It is unclear whether the company sought Chinese regulatory approval; not having it is not necessarily an indicator of quality.

 

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Peru’s death rate is high because Peru tests all dead people for Covid19 antibodies thus adding Covid19 as one of the causes of death even though it has been clear that the cause of deaths were for other reasons.

The Power of the Church is only found in the Blood and the Cross of JESUS, not in the Wealth of this World.THE ONE WHO PROPHESIED CORONAVIRUS ON DECEMBER 1ST, 2015 AND RAVAGING LOCUSTS PLAGUE LIVE ON JESUS IS LORD RADIO 04.10.2020 유튜브:

Always amazed that any govt trusts the chinese will deliver a solution and at a lower cost without huge problems. It ends up being so much more expensive cuz you gotta fix it.

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