COVID-19: Patnaik thanks IAF for airlifting equipment, personnel for setting up testing labs in Odisha

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday thanked the Indian Air Force (IAF) for airlifting personnel and equipment to the state for setting up laboratories for testing samples of persons suspected to be infected with the novel coronavirus.

The IAF airlifted personnel and 3,500 kg of medical equipment of ICMR from Chennai to Bhubaneswar for setting up testing laboratories and other facilities in Odisha.

The state government had on April 6 requested the Centre to facilitate Odisha to conduct at least 1,000 tests of samples every day by April 10.

Coronavirus cases in Odisha jumped from five on April 1 to 42 on Tuesday.

Earlier, all samples had to be sent to the National Institute of Virology, Pune. But the Centre later allowed conduct of tests at RMRC and AIIMS, Bhubaneswar and SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.

The state administration has also decided to increase its capacity in COVID-19 hospitals to 3,000 beds by April 15.

(Picture credit: PTI)