New coronavirus testing laboratory at Kakatiya University: Eatala Rajender

The central government has accorded permission to open coronavirus testing laboratories at Kakatiya Medical College in Warangal, Insitute of Preventive Medicine in Hyderabad and at Fever Hospital, said Health Minister Eatala Rajendar.

All the new testing centres will be opened in a week, he said. It is learned that the state government will be launching the testing laboratory at Osmania University today. With the launch of the laboratory, the state will be having two testing laboratories -- one at Gandhi Hospital and another at Osmania Medical College.

The minister said that the government is planning to adopt measures to prevent the spread of the virus. "When the coronavirus patients put in the isolation ward, the virus can be spread through the air. To prevent it, the government decided to set up high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters that destroy the virus and releases purifies the air," said the minister.

One HEPA filter costs of Rs 1.5 crore. However, the government has plans to deploy them in the isolation wards, he said.