Three new laboratories for testing Covid samples soon
LUCKNOW: In its bid to give thrust to RT-PCR tests, the state government has decided to start three new laboratories for testing Covid samples
Additional chief secretary, health and family welfare, Amit Mohan Prasad said in July the health department had started RT-PCR tests in the seven new laboratories set up in district hospitals in Gonda, Mirzapur, Moradabad, Bareilly, Varanasi, Mirzapur and Lucknow districts. In early August RT-PCR tests began in a new laboratory in Ghaziabad. Soon RT-PCR tests will be conducted in new laboratories in Ballia, Pratapgarh and Azamgarh. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has given its approval as well as the equipment for the three new laboratories, he said.
The state government is working to provide latest facilities to Covid patients. It is supplying Remdesivir medicine free to the patients admitted in government hospitals and a medicine kit is given to patients who have opted for home isolation. To protect the life of patients admitted in hospitals, the state government is purchasing high flow nasal cannula machines to be used as an alternative to ventilators, Prasad said.
He said the fatality rate of Covid patients in UP has decreased to 1.58%. With death of 58 patients on Sunday, the death tally of the Covid patients reached 2,449 since the start of the pandemic, he said.
He further said that 4201 patients were discharged after recovery on Sunday and the total number of patients who have recovered has reached 1,00,432 in the state. The recovery rate of patients in UP has also improved from 61% to 65.03%, he said.
He said the state health department is also providing services to non-Covid patients during the pandemic. From 1st June to 5th August, 35,541 major surgeries were performed in government hospitals across the state whereas during the same period last year 44,275 surgeries were performed. Government doctors performed 55,826 minor surgeries, whereas last year 75,501 minor surgeries were performed, he said.