Goa to scale up COVID testing capacity

NT NETWORK

Panaji

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday said  the state’s testing capacity for the COVID-19 pandemic is around 1,000 samples per day.

He told reporters that when standard operating procedures were announced on May 23 it  had  been expected that  4,000 people would arrive in the state every  day. Hence  three options had been  given to the people coming to Goa via rail, road and air from other states.

“But flights and trains are getting cancelled… on an average hardly 1,000 people are entering Goa.  It is manageable with the present testing facilities,” he explained.

Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said that new COVID-19 testing machines are being installed to increase the testing capacity in the state.

 “The testing capacity will be soon increased to 1,500 to 2,000 tests for a 24-hour cycle,” he said.

The state government on Wednesday gave permission to Suburban Diagnostics for collecting  throat swab samples for the COVID-19 testing.

“Suburban Diagnostics Ltd had approached the DHS. They have been  given permission for swab collection.  They will draw  samples and send them to their laboratory in Mumbai for testing,” health secretary Nila Mohanan told a press conference in Panaji.

The government on May 21 had temporarily suspended the permission granted to the Porvorim-based SRL Diagnostics for collection of swab samples after three COVID positive results as declared by SRL’s Mumbai lab later turned out to be negative when samples of the same persons were tested at a government lab in the state.

She informed that only four to five visitors have arrived in Goa with COVID negative certificate, adding that the state government is charging Rs 2,000 per person for the testing. 

As per the data shared by district collectors’ office, on an average 350-400-odd people enter Goa by road while the number of people arriving by trains  and flights depends on the number of trains and flights coming to Goa.

Mohanan, who is also the education secretary, said  the state  government has not taken any decision on  reopening of schools.

The state is awaiting instructions from the central government, she said.