Rapid tests fogged coronavirus statistics in Slovakia

Results of antigen testing not included in official stats although they detect hundreds of new positive cases even after mass testing. Experts say the situation is not good.

In the past two consecutive Fridays, the health minister reported the good news to Slovakia that the epidemic curve broke in early November, as a result of the tightened anti-epidemic measures and mass testing.

SkryťTurn off ads
Article continues after video advertisement
SkryťTurn off ads
Article continues after video advertisement

Related article PM and disease experts clash over virus testing Read more 

While the decline is apparent from the graph of daily new positive cases, experts say and even the government admits that this data has been distorted the past days due to the two rounds of mass testing in Slovakia, and the subsequent introduction of rapid antigen testing sites, where anyone can get a swab free of charge.

SkryťTurn off ads

The more reliable RT-PCR tests, in contrast, cost €70 per swab if not indicated by epidemiologists or a doctor. The number of conducted tests has dropped after rapid tests were introduced. But the results of the PCR tests are the only ones reported in the official daily stats of the National Health Information Centre (NCZI). These are also the basis for the easing of the rules (7-day average of new daily cases must be no more than 750 for schools, restaurants and other facilities to open).

"The numbers are in a sort of a fog," PM Igor Matovič (OĽaNO) admitted, as quoted by the Denník N daily.

While the Health Ministry is deciding how to report the data, some epidemiologists say that the numbers to watch are the rates of hospitalisations and deaths, and these hardly provide good news for Slovakia.

SkryťTurn off ads

How many rapid tests?

The rest of this article is premium content at Spectator.sk
Subscribe now for full access

I already have subscription - Sign in

Subscription provides you with:
  • Immediate access to all locked articles (premium content) on Spectator.sk
  • Special weekly news summary + an audio recording with a weekly news summary to listen to at your convenience (received on a weekly basis directly to your e-mail)
  • PDF version of the latest issue of our newspaper, The Slovak Spectator, emailed directly to you
  • Access to all premium content on Sme.sk and Korzar.sk

Top stories

The New Stations of the Cross combine old and new.

New Stations of the Cross to combine surviving remains and contemporary architecture.


Píšem or pišám?

"Do ľava," (to the left) I yelled, "Nie, do prava" (no, to the right), I gasped. "Dolšie," I screamed. "Nie, nie, horšie..." My Slovak girlfriend collapsed in laughter. Was it something I said?


Matthew J. Reynolds
Czech biochemist Jan Konvalinka.

Jan Konvalinka was expecting a pandemic before Covid-19 came along.


SkryťClose ad