Tamil Nadu to deploy 1 lakh rapid test kits to speed up COVID-19 screening
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami on Monday said order has been placed for buying one lakh Rapid Test Kits (RTK) from China and it will arrive on April 9 aiding quick screening for coronavirus in the State.
By : migrator
Update: 2020-04-06 10:55 GMT
Chennai
He said Rs 500 crore financial assistance has been received from the Central Government.
Stressing that isolation is the only solution to reduce the impact of Coronavirus he said the hospitals in Tamil Nadu have 3,371 ventilators.
Of the 4,612 people who were tested for the contagion, 571 turned positive, Palaniswami said adding the RTKs will be sent to all districts and testing could be done quickly for whomever needed.
"One lakh test kits have been ordered and we are getting it from China," he told reporters adding the kits have a 30-minute window for providing results which will aid quick and more screening of people to ascertain the presence of virus.
The kits will arrive on Thursday and the following day districts could have them, he said.
Also, orders have been placed for 2,500 ventilators and more masks and Personal Protective Equipment was being procured to meet requirements, he said.
The State has optimal inventory of drugs including antibiotics and intravenous fluids needed to treat coronavirus patients, he said.
While Tamil Nadu already has 17 testing facilities including 11 in government and six in private sectors, permission of the Central government was being awaited for 21 more testing centres.
"Medical equipment has already come and as soon we get the Central government's permission, a total of 38 testing centres will be functional and the number of those being tested for the virus will be increased," he said.
He said about 2.10 lakh passengers have been screened at the airports in the state.
According to Palaniswami, the government is planning to introduce mobile vegetable shops in Chennai.
A total of 94,873 cases have been registered against persons for violating the prohibitory orders and 94,152 persons have been arrested and let out on bail.
The Chief Minister said based on the impact of Coronavirus in the state a decision on holding the tenth standard exams will be taken.
Health Secretary Beela Rajesh had indicated on Sunday that the government intended to put up testing amenities for coronavirus in medical college hospitals run by it across the State.
(With inputs from IANS)
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