COVID POSITIVE CASES CROSS 6 LAKH IN INDIA

The number of Coronavirus infected people in India crossed the 6 lakh mark after 19,611 new cases were recorded across the country on Wednesday. In the last 24 hours, 438 deaths were reported taking the toll to 17,848.

The Central government has directed all states and Union territories to significantly ramp up their testing for the virus.

Union health secretary Preeti Sudan and Indian Council for Medical Research director-general Balram Bhargava have written to all states and UTs to stay that at some places the capacity utilisation of the testing labs, particularly the ones in the private sector, was grossly sub-optimal.

They also said that the labs should not insist on a prescription from government doctors as this further delays testing and that any qualified medical practitioner can prescribe a test.

As of Wednesday, 88,26,585 samples have been tested, but the Union health ministry feels that this is still insufficient.