Punjab ramps up viral testing of coronavirus to 20,000 tests per day

Countering the surge in Covid-19 cases upfront, Punjab government has upgraded the viral testing of infection in the state to 20,000 tests per day, informed O.P Soni, Medical Education and Research Minister Punjab after inaugurating Corona labs at Punjab Biotechnology Incubator and Punjab Forensic Science Laboratory, Mohali jointly with Balbir Singh Sidhu Health Minister Punjab.

"A spike in cases is being observed nationwide but we in Punjab are geared up to meet the challenge. Punjab is the Frontrunner State in the country to upgrade its health infrastructure and viral testing capacity at a record pace," said Soni in a press statement.

He informed that four laboratories would be operational in the state from Monday (August 10) onwards whereby the pace of viral testing for COVID-19 would escalate from existing 16,000 tests to 20,000 tests per day.

The other two labs that would be operational are Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, Jalandhar and viral testing lab at Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU), Ludhiana.

Notably, a total of 83 officials, which include microbiologists, research assistants, medical laboratory technicians, data entry operators and other ancillary staff, have been appointed in the four laboratories.