Malappuram: Coronavirus test lab to be opened in Manjeri medical college this week

MALAPPURAM: Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RTPCR) test laboratory to conduct coronavirus tests will start function in government medical college Manjeri this week.
Currently the swab samples of corona suspected cases from Malappuram district are testing in National Institute of Virology lab in Alappuzha and it causes delay in receiving tests results of the persons from the district.
Dr M P Shashi, principal of the medical college said that the laboratory would start functioning this week, immediately after receiving permission from the part of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). On Saturday, higher education minister K T Jaleel, who attended a coronavirus review meeting at Malappuram had said that the lab would be functional by April 8.
Principal said that two RTPCR machines would be arranged in the laboratory and the works of the installation of machines are in final stage. "With the opening of the laboratory we can avoid the delay in receiving the results of swab samples collected from the persons who are suspecting Corona virus infection", he said adding that the opening of the lab in Manjeri would also resolve the issues related to the transportation of samples for testing.
Meanwhile, 48 more persons from the district tested negative for the coronavirus infection on Sunday. So far, a total of 702 persons from the district tested negative for the viral infection. The test results of 176 swab samples are yet to be received.
328 more persons were brought under observation in Malappuram on Sunday. With this the total number of persons who are under observation in the district has been increased to 16850. 156 persons are under observation in various government hospitals. Among these 150 persons are under treatment at government medical college , Manjeri, which is coronavirus special treatment centre. Others have been admitted to government district hospitals in Tirur and Nilambur and government Taluk hospital at Tirurangadi. 11 persons are under observation in coronavirus care centres. 16683 persons are under observation at their homes.