CHANDIGARH: PGI will soon have a coronavirus testing laboratory, catering to the states north of Delhi.
The samples are currently being sent to AIIMS, Delhi.
"Approval has been given to the institute. We are now setting up the facility,” said Dr G Dewan, director health services, UT.
Sources said it takes 24 hours for the reports to come, but a special courier arrangement is done from flights. “If nearer centres are involved in the sample testing, it will prevent any leakage of the samples and allow availability of more laboratories,” said an official in the health department.
In India, 15 laboratories are functional to test the virus. The health minister recently announced that four more laboratories shall be made operational. The samples are sent to AIIMS, Centre for Disease Control in Delhi, Indian Council of Medical Research laboratories at Alappuzha, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Mumbai, besides the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune.
The test uses a nucleic acid amplification-based assay called polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and a more sensitive form called reverse-transcription polymerase. “The virus can be tested in a laboratory through a Real Time-PCR and other diagnostics. We have the facilities and can start testing when asked by the ministry,” said prof Jagat Ram, director PGI.
The samples are currently being sent to AIIMS, Delhi.
"Approval has been given to the institute. We are now setting up the facility,” said Dr G Dewan, director health services, UT.
Sources said it takes 24 hours for the reports to come, but a special courier arrangement is done from flights. “If nearer centres are involved in the sample testing, it will prevent any leakage of the samples and allow availability of more laboratories,” said an official in the health department.
In India, 15 laboratories are functional to test the virus. The health minister recently announced that four more laboratories shall be made operational. The samples are sent to AIIMS, Centre for Disease Control in Delhi, Indian Council of Medical Research laboratories at Alappuzha, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Mumbai, besides the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune.
The test uses a nucleic acid amplification-based assay called polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and a more sensitive form called reverse-transcription polymerase. “The virus can be tested in a laboratory through a Real Time-PCR and other diagnostics. We have the facilities and can start testing when asked by the ministry,” said prof Jagat Ram, director PGI.
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