Srikakulam: Virus research diagnostic laboratory to be set up in RIMS

Srikakulam: The district administration is taking steps to establish virus research diagnostic laboratory (VRDL) in the RIMS here. The laboratory will be functional in two days. The RIMS is the government teaching hospital.

The administration has taken measures to scale up facilities in the RIMS to ease pressure on the GEMS, which is designated as Covid-19 hospital, at Ragolu, Machinery, furniture, isolation rooms and other facilities are being provided in the RIMS.

Apart from it, the administration has begun the exercise to appoint lab technicians and support medical staff to ensure effective functioning of VRDL.

All the samples will be tested for coronavirus in the VRDL once it is established, officials said. "This RTPCR is the only available and reliable test to confirm Covid-19 positive cases" according to to District Surveillance Officer for Covid-19, Dr Bagadi Jagannadha Rao.

The VRDL would be ready in two days and as many as 300 samples can be tested in one day. At present samples from Srikakulam district are being sent to laboratory. It takes at least two days to test the samples, the officials said. The officials said that as many as 90 isolation wards would be provided in the RIMS. At present Covid-19 patients are being treated at a private teaching hospital, GEMS, at Ragolu near here.