Delhi govt writes to Centre for more COVID-19 testing labs in city

The Delhi government on Thursday requested the Centre to increase the number of testing laboratories for COVID-19 in the national capital as the city reported its sixth case of coronavirus.

Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain wrote to Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan requesting him to increase the number of testing labs for COVID-19 in the city.

In Delhi, the facility of coronavirus sample testing has been made available at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and the National Centre for Disease Control.

"Written a letter to @drharshvardhan requesting to increase lab testing facilities for covid19 in Delhi," Jain tweeted.

Talking to reporters after a high-level meeting attended by Lt Governor Anil Baijal, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and top officials, Jain said private hospitals should also be permitted to conduct COVID-19 tests because it is important for every hospital to have a testing lab.

He also called for opening testing laboratories in four Delhi government hospitals along with the Lady Hardinge Hospital, where the testing laboratory was to become operational.

"Private hospitals should also be permitted to conduct tests because it is important for every hospital to have a testing lab. We need more testing laboratories to conduct quick tests and contain the panic around the whole situation," Jain told reporters.

The health minister said Delhi has six confirmed cases of coronavirus as of now.

"The Delhi government is fully prepared to handle the crisis," Jain asserted.

The total number of coronavirus patients in the country has risen to 74 with 14 fresh cases being reported on Thursday, including a foreign national.