BHUBANESWAR: As the number of suspected novel coronavirus cases rose to three in Odisha in the last two days taking the total number to 11, the State Government sought the support of the Centre for facilitating COVID-19 tests in the laboratories here.
At a high-level meeting here on Wednesday, it was decided to move the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to obtain test kits so that swab samples can be tested at two Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratories (VRDLs) in the State.
Though the Regional Medical Research Centre (RMRC) at Bhubaneswar is a designated lab, it lacks kits for COVID-19 tests.
Now the State is dependent on the laboratories at Pune and Kolkata for tests. Director of Medical Education and Training (DMET) Dr C B K Mohanty said the RMRC has the facility for any kind of viral research and it can conduct tests if the kits are made available.
“We have to wait for at least 24 hours to get the test results since the kits are not commercially available. Apart from the RMRC, we also want to facilitate the tests at the VRDL at SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack, where suspects are being kept under observation,” he said.
Odisha seeks COVID-19 testing kits
Dr Mohanty said Health and Family Welfare Minister Naba Kishore Das will soon write to Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan seeking test kits.
“Our officials had met Director General of Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) Prof Balram Bhargava during his recent visit to the State and he had agreed to provide all kind of support,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Health and Family Welfare department has urged people to avoid crowded places and refrain from people having flu symptoms besides practising frequent hand washing.
Districts have been directed to create awareness and intensify surveillance.