Nagaland will soon have BSL-3 lab to conduct COVID-19 tests: CM

Nagaland will soon have a level-3

Bio-safety Laboratory (BSL-3) to conduct COVID-19 sample test, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said on Thursday.

Nagaland does not have a BSL-3 lab at present and all suspected COVID-19 samples are sent either to Assam or Manipur for testing.

Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu announced the arrival of equipment for setting up of BSL-3 lab at Naga Hospital Authority Kohima, which has also been designated and made functional as COVID-19 hospital.

"Equipment for setting up of BSL-3 at NHAK, along with technicians have reached Nagaland," Rio tweeted.

He thanked the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Delhi for fulfilling the long felt need of the state government to have own testing facilities.

 

The chief minister asserted that the work will begin immediately, round-the-clock, so that it is functional at the earliest.

The Nagaland Health and Family Welfare Department said that the state has no COVID-19 positive case, adding that the one positive case of a 33-year-old man from Dimapur has been added to the tally of Assam as sampling was done in Guwahati Medical College Hospital and the patient is undergoing treatment there only.

Health department officials also revealed that five medical personnel from the state have recently completed training at Indian Medical Research Centre, Dibrugarh on the functioning of the BSL-3 lab.

Meanwhile, NHAK COVID-19 Hospital in the state capital is ready to take COVID-19 patients, said Dr Sentimeren Aonok, Public Information Officer (PIO) of the hospital.

He said the hospital is ready with 67 beds for COVID- 19 patients and can be upgraded to accommodate more patients.

Aonok said the hospital authorities have already prepared a roster for a team of around 500 health workers, including 40 doctors, 137 nurses and more than 300 other staff to take care of the patients.

At present, the ICU has 20 beds with nine ventilators, he said.

Aonok said the Chedema COVID-19 hospital in the outskirts of the state capital is also ready with 40 bed facility.

On the availability of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) of different qualities for the health workers, he said the government through the Health and Family Welfare Department has provided 2055 PPEs, 1100 N95 masks, 2600 FFPA masks, 12,300 triple layer masks, 10 each Infrared Thermometer and High Viral Transport Medium.