Sri Lanka health authorities yesterday commenced to carryout Rapid Antigen Tests (RAT) to identify COVID-19 patients after the Director General of Health Services approved the test, a health ministry spokesman said.

“It would be used especially for contacts of the Covid-19 patients and people who arrive at hospitals with Covid-19 symptoms,” he said.

AG-RDT is strongly recommended to be used in teaching hospitals, tertiary level special care institutes, provincial hospitals and district general hospitals, essentially under the guidance and supervision of a microbiologist or a virologist available onsite," the circular sent to all the hospitals signed by DG of Health Services Dr. Asela Jayawardane stated.