VIJAYAWADA: On Wednesday, as many as 6,522 samples were tested using RT-PCR kits and with this, State’s testing capacity has been improved to 961 tests per million people, the highest in the country.
Congratulating the officials for improving the testing capacity, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy asked them to improve the number of tests conducted per day further.
During a high-level review meeting with officials on Thursday, officials informed the Chief Minister that the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has given permission for using Rapid Diagnosis Tests (RDT) kits procured from South Korea, as per the Standard Operating Procedures issued. They said as many as 14,423 tests were conducted using RDT kits and 11,543 were conducted in red zones. Among the total tests conducted, 30 samples tested positive, and those samples have been sent for RT - PRC tests (conducted in Virology Research and Diagnosis Laboratory) for confirmation. They expressed satisfaction over the functioning and results of the RDT kits bought from South Korea.
On telemedicine, officials said as per the advice of the doctors, medicines were being sent to the patient concerned. On the occasion, they explained that COVID-19 has yet again started spreading in China and Singapore. The CM asked the officials to ensure that people suffering from other medical and health ailments are not subjected to any inconvenience. He wanted the health officials to pay special attention to thalassemia, cancer and dialysis patients. Stressing on immediate response to calls from people, he said emergency and delivery cases should be given priority.
He directed the officials to identify sites for the proposed medical colleges in the State. Reviewing the situation in agriculture and allied sectors, the CM advised the farmers to take the help of the agriculture assistants and lodge their complaints about crops and prices so that the government can initiate appropriate measures. He also asked the officials to continue to sell six types of fruits for `100 and directed them to come up with plans for the continuing the scheme on a permanent basis.