With an objective of increasing Covid-19 testing in the state, Punjab Medical Education & Research Department has set up four new viral testing labs with the daily testing capacity of 4,000 tests during September 2020. The viral testing capacity in three Medical Colleges at Patiala, Amritsar and Faridkot has also been ramped up to 5,000 tests per day per college by 31 August.
Giving details, Principal Secretary Medical Education & Research D.K. Tiwari informed that Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Science University, Ludhiana, has already started its operations on 5 August with the capacity of 100 tests per day, which would be further increased to 1,000 tests per day in September.
The Forensic Sciences Lab in SAS Nagar (Mohali) will start its operations on 10 August with a starting capacity of 100 tests per day ramping up to 250 by 30 August and going up to 1,000 tests per day by September, he added.
Meanwhile, Punjab Biotechnology Incubator would also start its operations on 10 August with an initial capacity of 100 tests per day, which would go up to 250 tests by 25 August, and 1,000 tests in September. The Regional Disease Diagnostic Lab in Jalandhar would start with a capacity of 25 tests per day ramping up to 250 by 20 August and increasing up to 1,000 tests per day in September.
It’s pertinent to mention that over 6.15 lakh tests have already been conducted in the state so far.