New Delhi:
There are 72 functional Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) laboratories conducting tests for coronavirus and private NABL-accredited labs will soon be operationalised across the country, ICMR Director General Balram Bhargava on Tuesday said.
He also appealed to all private laboratories to offer Covid-19 diagnosis free of cost.
"We have 72 functional ICMR laboratories in government sector for testing and 49 more will be active by the month end," he said.
Bhargava said that India was in Stage 2 or local transmission of the virus.
"All asymptomatic patients who have taken international flights in the past 14 days should get tested as per current protocol if they develop symptoms," he said.
He also said that symptomatic people who come in close contact with laboratory-confirmed coronavirus cases must be tested, adding and all healthcare workers managing respiratory condition of patients should be tested too if symptomatic.
"Private NABL accredited laboratories will soon be operationalised," Bhargava said.
ICMR was approached by several private players who want to contribute and talks are on with 51 National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) accredited private laboratories.
Meanwhile,India further extended its ban on arriving international passengers and said that it would not provide entry to even Indian passport holders residing in the United Kingdom, Turkey and whole of Europe till the end of March.
Coronavirus extended its footprint in India with Karnataka and Noida reporting two more cases each on Tuesday, taking the total count to 137. A 64-year-old patient died in Mumbai.
Meanwhile, three more persons were tested positive for coronavirus infection in Ladakh, taking the total number of such cases in the Union territory to six
Globally, the number of cases has hit 183,143, with 7,175 reported deaths across 157 countries.
The Union health ministry on Monday activated a toll-free 24×7 national helpline number, 1075, to address queries related to the infection.