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Hanover (dpa / lni) - Lower Saxony's Ministry of Health has drawn a positive interim balance of its corona test strategy with extensive quick and self-test offers for the population. Although not all health authorities have yet been included in the data collection of the state health authority, the test strategy creates additional security and brings the hoped-for benefits, according to Minister Daniela Behrens (SPD). "We recognize infections faster, and efficient contact tracking by the health authorities helps to break chains of infection," said Behrens of the German press agency.

According to the ministry, there are now 3400 official test centers nationwide. In addition to more than 2100 medical practices, 675 pharmacies and 30 dental practices, around 580 test centers commissioned by the municipal health authorities now offer the possibility of a free rapid test. Charitable institutions and welfare associations already have test facilities or want to set them up.

Meanwhile, on April 9th, the State Health Office put an internet-based reporting portal into operation, with which the test centers can transmit their daily figures.

The portal has been in operation since April 9th;

40 out of 45 health authorities are now connected to it.

Since medical practices, dental practices and pharmacies are not obliged to report their capacities or tests carried out to the health authorities, not all data are recorded.

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In this respect, there are no complete, nationwide data on the scope and results of the rapid tests. In the past week, however, 31 health authorities for 286 test sites reported the total number of 122,240 quick tests carried out; of these, 510 were positive. The Ministry of Health explained that this corresponds to a positive rate of 0.42 percent and 1.53 tests per 100,000 inhabitants. It is assumed that the number of tests actually performed will be significantly higher.

"Any infection detected at an early stage prevents other people from contracting the virus and perhaps even becoming seriously ill or, in the worst case, dying from the consequences of Covid 19 disease," said Minister Behrens.

"Only if we all follow the rules in a disciplined manner, take test offers and get vaccinated when it is our turn, will we defeat the pandemic."

© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210421-99-287699 / 2