ICMR validates 1,000th laboratory to conduct COVID-19 tests

In order to increase the country’s testing capacity, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has validated the 1,000th laboratory to conduct tests for COVID-19. Of these 1,000 COVID-19 testing laboratories, 730 are in government setups and 270 laboratories are in the private sector, the ICMR said.

As of Tuesday (June 23), India had tested 73,52,911 samples. Of these, 1,87,223 samples were tested on Monday (June 22) alone, according to the apex health research body.

“This is an important milestone in the fight against coronavirus. Since the beginning, we have been focusing on 3Ts — testing, tracking and treating — to fight the disease. Through increased testing, we are fighting this virus,” ICMR Director-General Dr Balram Bhargava said.

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“Our goal was to establish a lab in every district of the country, which we have achieved to a large extent,” he added.

The country is now testing over 1.90 lakh samples every day. Besides validating coronavirus testing laboratories, the ICMR has also appealed to people to stay safe and take all possible steps to keep the virus at bay, especially for the elderly, pregnant women and children.

“Efforts of ICMR can be understood from the fact that coronavirus testing lab has been established in the remotest parts of the country. For example, a COVID-19 testing laboratory has been established at an altitude of 18,000 feet in Leh,” the ICMR said.