Visakhapatnam: Coronavirus testing lab inaugurated at King George Hospital

Visakhapatnam: Tourism Minister M Srinivasa Rao has announced that Covid-19 diagnostic centre will be brought to use soon.

Speaking after inaugurating the testing centre at Rajendra Prasad ward at King George Hospital along with District Collector V Vinay Chand and VMRDA Chairman Dronamraju Srinviasa Rao on Friday, the Minister said patients arriving is Visakhapatnam used to have a long wait as samples collected for coronavirus used to be sent to either Kakinada or Tirupati. "But with the introduction of this facility in Visakhapatnam, the waiting time is likely to come down," he said. Further, the Minister mentioned that Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has sanctioned Rs 1.25 crore within a week after the proposal to have the facility is Visakhapatnam was mooted. Along with Covid-19 testing centre, doctors will also be available at KGH for the treatment, Srinivasa Rao said and added that the forthcoming two weeks will be crucial to keep the disease under check. However, he informed that there was no need to panic as all preventive mechanism continues to be in place.

The first positive case in Allipuram, the Minister said, was an aged person and hence the recovery time took longer. Speaking on the occasion, District Collector Vinay Chand said the centre can handle 60 Covid-19 tests a day. There are 19 members who visited Delhi and participated in the mass congregation and came in contact with others. Their samples have been collected for coronavirus test. While five turned positive, nine turned negative and five more reports are awaited. About 28 were in touch with them and of them, samples were collected from 23 persons.

KGH Superintendent K Arjuna and Andhra Medical College Principal P V Sudhakar along with others were present. Meanwhile, the Tourism Minister appealed to the people in a conference not to participate in mass prayers and move in groups until the situation comes under control. He said various companies have been working in shifts and suggested to follow a single shift. Any kind of dislocation of the medical professionals will not be allowed, the Minister said. He announced to bring in more number of doctors even from the private sector if needed and urged that those who came from Delhi from mass prayers should voluntarily come forward for the tests.