BENGALURU: Expressing concern over the impact of delay in providing Covid test results, the Karnataka High Court on Thursday issued direction to the State Government to inform all labs to provide the results within 24 hours of the samples being collected for Covid testing, and take action against those facilities that do not adhere to the deadline.
Reiterating the effect of delay in providing results with an example, a division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Aravind Kumar said the court has already issued directions to the state to ensure that labs provide citizens with results within 24 hours, but it is not being followed.
The court said the registry brought its attention to the death of its staffer SV Muniraju (45), who worked as a driver. He passed away on May 12 from Covid-19. Muniraju’s swab sample was collected on May 10 at 11 am at Sir CV Raman General Hospital in the city, and was received by the lab on May 11, after a lapse of 22 hours. The result has not yet been communicated to the mobile number given by the deceased till today, the court said.
Making it clear that it is not taking this case to quote as he was its staff, the court said it is about the implementation of its orders by the government and its impact on the lives of people. Therefore, the state needs to issue directions to all labs once again to stick to the 24-hour deadline and take action against them if they violate the same, the court ordered the government.