3 more Odisha medical colleges selected for COVID-19 testing

The Odisha government on Thursday said it has decided to start swab tests in three more state-run medical college hospitals in Bolangir, Koraput and Baripada to enhance the number of coronavirus tests to at least 10,000 a day. COVID-19 tests are now being conducted in eight laboratories, including one private facility, across Odisha.

The testing will begin at the medical colleges in Bolangir, Koraput and Baripada on May 16, May 23 and May 31 respectively, Health and Family Welfare Minister N K Das said after a meeting. Das said the meeting also discussed Chief Minister Naveen Patnaiks direction to increase the number of coronavirus testing to 15,000 daily.

The state on Wednesday conducted 4,394 tests. A total of 77,150 samples have been tested in the state so far, an official said. Odisha has also planned to extend the corona testing facilities to more private laboratories in different parts of the state.

Recently, the ICMR granted permission to IMS & SUM Hospital in Bhubaneswar to conduct COVID-19 tests. It is the second private hospital after Apollo to get approval to conduct the tests, official sources said. Das said the inter-ministerial group meeting also discussed a proposal to increase the bed strength in different COVID-19 care centres.

At present, there are 6,000 beds which need to be increased to 10,000 in the wake of the rise in the number of COVID-19 patients in the state, the minister said. At least 73 people, who included 71 returnees from Gujarat, West Bengal and Karnataka, tested positive for COVID-19 in Odisha on Thursday. The number of active cases is now 450.

The inter-ministerial group meeting also discussed the matter of allowing returnees mainly pregnant women, senior citizens and children - to go for home quarantine instead of staying at temporary medical centres, if they test negative for COVID-19, Das said. The minister said those allowed to remain quarantined at their homes will have to be in contact with doctors and immediately report if there is any complaint.

Das also said a standard operating procedure will soon be announced on the maintenance of cleanliness at hospitals. PTI AAM SBN NN NN

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