Bhubaneswar: BJP MLA Nauri Nayak from Rengali constituency, who tested positive for COVID-19 Thursday after taking a swab sample test in the Assembly premises, Friday tested negative for the virus at a private lab, raising doubts over the accuracy of COVID-19 testing by the health administration.
The MLA Sunday said, “If there is no accuracy over the COVID-19 test of an MLA, there is no reliability of the same for public.”
Sources said, before the commencement of Winter Session-2020 swab samples of the MLAs were being collected in the Assembly, Wednesday. Nayak was informed around 11.50 pm Thursday that the sample tested positive for COVID-19.
As Nayak have developed no COVID-19 symptoms he gave his swab samples at a hospital Friday. Surprisingly, he tested COVID-19 negative. As Nayak drew the attention of Assembly Speaker Surjya Narayan Patro towards the matter, his swab sample was once again collected for a COVID test.
The MLA alleged, “I had earlier sought COVID-related information in the Assembly through questions. I was told that the information was being collected. I doubt whether I am being deliberately kept away from the House over the incident.”
Notably, the MLA had also tested positive for COVID-19 before the monsoon session of the assembly and undergone 17 days of isolation.
PNN
