NEW DELHI: India is capable of conducting 10,000 coronavirus tests a day and conducted 5,000 tests last week, according to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), here on Sunday.
Speaking to the media, ICMR Director-General Balram Bhargava said the testing capacity could be increased above 10,000, if needed.
“In the last one week, we have tested 5,000 cases and the total could be around 15,000. It’s important that indiscriminate testing is not done. Those returning from abroad should go for isolation,” he said.
On indiscriminate testing, Bhargava said people were running for tests. “We ensure that unless there are symptoms, there should not be any test, but isolation,” he said and added, it was essential to understand the ailment.
“About 80 per cent of the people will experience cold-like fever and will recover. 20 per cent may experience cough, cold, fever, and some of them may need admission to hospital,” he said.
The ICMR also said that a total of 114 laboratories have been approved across the country for coronavirus test.
According to a statement from Indian Council of Medical Research — the apex body in India for the formulation, coordination and promotion of biomedical research — while 87 of these laboratories are operational, 27 are in process.
While there are six such laboratories for COVID-19 testing each in Kerala and Delhi; Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu have seven functional laboratories.
Among the additional laboratories, Delhi will get two, while Kerala will have three. Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu will have one new lab each.
A total of 27 States and Union Territories are having the laboratories currently. (IANS)