111 labs for testing coronavirus will be functional across India from today: Health Ministry

A total of 111 labs for testing coronavirus across the country will be functional from today, said Lav Aggarwal, Joint Secretary, Health Ministry, on Saturday.

"Dr Balram Bhargava, Director General of Indian Council of Medical Research, has said that 111 labs for COVID19 diagnosis will be functional by today evening," said Aggarwal at a press conference here.

On the private labs offering COVID19 testing, he said, "a detailed order will be released on the matter by today evening."

He also said, "Today 262 people from Rome of which mostly are students will come. They will be kept in quarantine centres as per the protocol."

1,600 Indians and people from other countries have till date been kept in quarantine centres in India, he added.

"We should not just do testing for fashion or confidence-building measure," the Joint Secretary said while adding that "it is very important to understand that testing should be done as per the protocol defined for testing."

Aggarwal also said that the states have been asked to use the National Health Mission funds for their health sector preparedness.

"As of today, we are contact-tracing around 7,000 cases. Once we get factual information on community transmission cases we will let people know," he added.

The total number of positive cases of coronavirus has climbed to 271, said the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Saturday.

A day after his address to the nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that the threat of the pandemic is common for all states and underscored the need for Centre and all States to work together.

While addressing the nation on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged citizens to follow 'Janata Curfew' from 7 am to 9 pm on Sunday to contain the spread of coronavirus.