A day after getting the approval from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the laboratory to test throat swab for COVID-19 infection has begun functioning at the Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) in Hubballi on Wednesday.
The laboratory, located at the microbiology department of the KIMS, received four samples until Wednesday afternoon. This laboratory will receive samples from Dharwad, Haveri, Gadag and Uttara Kannada districts, and also from Belagavi district till a laboratory is set up there.
"We have testing machines at the multi-disciplinary research unit (MRU), and the ICMR has given the approval to use them for COVID-19 test. Thirty to 40 samples can be tested per day, and we have demanded one more testing machine so that more than 100 samples can be tested each day," said KIMS Director Ramalingappa Antaratani.
Meanwhile, Large & Medium Industries Minister Jagadish Shettar and Deputy Commissioner Deepa Cholan also inspected the laboratory. As three microbiologists are working at the laboratory at present, Shettar stated that steps would be taken to depute two microbiologists from Karnatak University in Dharwad.
Until now, samples were sent to Shivamogga and it used to take two-three days to get the result. The laboratory in Hubballi would give results within 24 hours. The ICMR is expected to approve COVID-19 testing laboratory in Belagavi in a day or two, Shettar added.
Swab collection box
Young Indians (YI) and Ladies Circle India have donated a swab collection box to the KIMS, for the convenient and safe collection of throat swabs. MLC S V Sankanur will donate another box to District Hospital in Dharwad.
"The air-tight box has covers for hands of doctor inside the box, and its cost is Rs 18,000," said YI Hubballi chapter chairman Dr Shrinivas Joshi.
There is a demand for eight more tunnels in the district, he noted.
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