Rapid test facility after lockdown
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, April 22 2020:
The State would have rapid test facility for COVID-19 after the country-wide lockdown is lifted, informed a high ranking official of the Health Department.
As soon as the lockdown is lifted, the State would have necessary equipment for COVID-19 antibody field test but confirmatory test would be done at JNIMS and RIMS, said the official.
Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has provided 3840 rapid test kits and some of them have started arriving in the State.
As many people would come back to the State from other States which have been identified as COVID-19 hot spots as soon as the lockdown is lifted, a detailed assessment is going on.
When State natives come back to the State after the lockdown is lifted, they would not be allowed to go home directly.
As such, the Government has been working to open sufficient number of isolation wards and quarantine centres in all the districts, informed the official.
He said that the Health Department has been studying about what kind of awareness should be given to the masses post lockdown.
Meanwhile, one individual showing symptoms similar to those of COVID-19 was detected as drivers and handymen engaged in ferrying fuel from Assam were screened by health workers at Sekmai LPG bottling plant today, according to a press release issued by the Health Department.
Altogether 390 drivers and handymen were screened at Mao today and another 130 at Jiribam.
In the meantime, 15 samples were tested for COVID-19 at JNIMS and RIMS today and all of them turned out to be negative.
On the other hand, Chief Secretary Dr J Suresh Babu and DGP LM Khaute went to Jiribam by helicopter today and inspected Jiribam check gate as well as the quarantine centre opened there.
On the other hand, RIMS in collaboration with EGM is set to test reporters.