Delhi airport's COVID testing facility can be ramped up to 15,000 samples per day: Genestrings

COVID-19 testing facility at Delhi international airport will initially handle up to 2,500 samples per day in mid-September and if required, capacity can later be ramped up to 15,000 samples per day, a top official of Genestrings Diagstic Center stated.

Delhi Airport International Limited (DIAL) on Friday said it has set up a COVID-19 testing facility at multi-level car parking area of Terminal 3, in collaboration with Genestrings Diagstic Center, for arriving international passengers who have to take connecting domestic flights.

"We've equipped lab to handle up to 2,500 samples per day in initial days. We're rey to quickly ramp-up our testing capacity multiple folds of up to 15,000 tests per day in this 3,500 Sq. Ft. facility," said Dr Rajat Arora, Director, Genestrings Diagstic Center.

test will cost a passenger Rs 2,400, as mandated by Delhi government, he told PTI.

"DIAL & GMR manment are working closely with Ministry of Health to establish this SOP (standard operating procedure) which will be well-defined before commencing lab operations, mid-September," Arora ted.

GMR group-led DIAL operates and maintains Delhi international airport.

"Unlike quite a few tests on arrival facilities across globe, re are two key differentiators that we have brought about here at India's first on-arrival testing lab at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA)," Arora ted.

Firstly, this is t just a collection centre, but rar an actual testing facility has been created on-site at airport, he explained.

Secondly, "we've given a time commitment of reporting within 6 hours of sample collection which is going to be one of fastest anywhere in world for RT-PCR tests", he mentioned.

Arora said company would be providing passengers with option of online booking and payment to minimise "touch transactions which may orwise le to furr transmission of infection".

Civil Aviation Ministry h on Wednesday said that international passengers who have to take connecting domestic flights after landing in India will have option of getting mselves tested for COVID-19 at entry airports.

If RT-PCR test result is negative, international passenger will be allowed to board his or her connecting domestic flight and he or she will t need to undergo any institutional quarantine, ministry's order said.

An international passenger who does t have a COVID-negative result certificate from a test done t more than 96 hours prior to journey, and does t opt for an on-arrival testing facility at entry airport, will have to compulsorily undergo seven-day institutional quarantine followed by seven-day home quarantine.

On August 2, Union Health Ministry h said if an international passenger has a negative result from an RT-PCR test done 96 hours prior to journey, he or she will t need to undergo institutional quarantine in India.