Delhi govt asks labs to increase their COVID-19 testing capacity
Jun 15, 2020
New Delhi [India], June 15 : The Delhi Government on Monday issued an order to private and government laboratories, asking them to work with their full capacity and increase their COVID-19 testing capacity.
As per the order, private labs will have to give results within 48 hours. Samples will be collected based on ICMR guidelines and no sample will be collected without RT-PCR App.
There are 42 labs in Delhi including 18 government and 24 private.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, along with Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan, chaired a meeting on Sunday in which Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal were present.
Shah announced a series of measures to tackle the disease in the national capital including increasing testing three times in six days, providing 500 converted rail coaches to add 8,000 beds and steps for the availability of 60 per cent coronavirus beds in private hospitals at lower rates.
The minister said that a comprehensive health survey of every person would be conducted in the containment zones of the national capital to check the spread of coronavirus.
"To be able to do contact mapping well in Delhi's containment zones, a comprehensive health survey of every person will be done from house to house. The report will come in one week. Aarogya Setu app will be downloaded in every person's mobile," he tweeted.
"Testing for the infection will be doubled in the next two days in the capital and tripled in six days," he added.
The Union Minister also said that a committee would be set up for 60 per cent beds in private hospitals at a lower rate for coronavirus patients.
"For the treatment of patients in private hospitals in the capital, a committee has been formed under the leadership of Dr Paul to provide 60 per cent of the beds in these hospitals at a low rate, to fix treatment and COVID-19 testing which will submit its report by tomorrow," he said.
"In a bid to provide correct information and guidelines for COVID-19 to small hospitals in Delhi, the Central government has decided to constitute a committee of senior doctors for telephonic guidance in AIIMS. The helpline number will be released tomorrow," he added.
