1 Lakh Test Reagents Available For COVID-19: Health Ministry, ICMR

As the coronavirus infected cases rise with  each passing day, the Health Ministry and the Indian Council of Medical Research have  confirmed the availability of 1 lakh test reagents available in India to test the coronavirus among the population.

Earlier in the day, pharma major Abbott said it had launched a test kit as a point of care for coronavirus. In response to this, Ministry said it appreciated the test kits which could easily be used by the medical professionals. They also said that there was no need for random sampling as they had narrowed down the criteria of COVID-19 test.

Ministry has also asked the CGHS hospitals to provide drugs for 3-months to chronic patients, reducing the chances of COVID-19 exposure.

Now, the Ministry of Health is primarily focusing on improving the health infrastructure in states as they strategize to dedicate separate hospitals and beds for COVID-19 patients, officials said in the media briefing on March 28.

They said Nodal officers had been appointed for every state who were updating the centre about the conditions.

Officials said AIIMS Delhi has started training the doctors of the states online and will soon be training the nurses.

Health Minister Harsh Vardhan also launched a 24*7 helpline number at AIIMS for clinical guidance in state hospitals and doctors.  

From March 27 till March 28 a total of 147 new cases and 2 deaths of elderly people have been reported as the current count reached 873 COVID-19 infected patients.