PM Modi to launch 'high-throughput' Covid-19 testing facilities in 3 cities

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Monday launch 'high-throughput' Covid-19 testing facilities in three cities -- Noida, Mumbai and Kolkata -- via video conferencing.

According to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), these facilities will ramp up testing capacity in the country and help in strengthening early detection and treatment, thus assisting in controlling the spread of the pandemic.

"These three high-throughput testing facilities have been set up strategically at ICMR-National Institute of Cancer Prevention and Research, Noida; ICMR-National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health, Mumbai; and ICMR-National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases, Kolkata, and will be able to test over 10,000 samples in a day," PMO said in a release.

Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan, along with Chief Ministers of Maharashtra, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh are expected to participate in the event.

India reported a spike of 48,661 coronavirus cases, taking the total Covid-19 cases to 13,85,522, said the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Sunday.

The total Covid-19 positive cases include 4,67,882 active cases, 8,85,577 cured/discharged/migrated, the ministry added. With 705 new deaths, the cumulative toll reached 32,063.