Coronavirus: Punjab starts rapid testing in two districts

The Punjab government on Tuesday started rapid testing for the detection of coronavirus in Mohali and Jalandhar districts on Tuesday.

The state has so far reported 176 coronavirus cases, including 12 deaths.

Mohali is the worst-hit district in the state with 54 confirmed cases while 24 people have been found infected with the virus in Jalandhar.

The rapid testing, a kind of blood test, gives quick results in comparison to the current swab-based examination.

Additional Chief Secretary Vini Mahajan in a release said the test results will be out in just 15 minutes.

She said the state government has received 1,000 rapid testing Kits from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

The state government had ordered 10 lakh rapid testing kits from the ICMR, with inquiries raised for another 10,000 in the open market.

The two districts of SAS Nagar (Mohali) and Jalandhar have been given 500 kits each to start the testing, she said, adding that the facility is likely to be extended to other districts.

Initially, only those having flu symptoms for over a week will be tested.

Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu launched the rapid testing facility at Mohali's Dera Bassi.

Mahajan said districts have been told to submit reports of the tests conducted along with the results daily.

A portal has been created by the Department of Health for gathering real-time information on testing and recording patient's profile.