CM offers CCMB for virus testing

Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao on Friday appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to utilise the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) in Hyderabad to test for the novel coronavirus virus infection.

Mr Rao was speaking at the videoconference on Friday evening conducted by the Prime Minister with the Chief Ministers of all states on the measures taken to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Mr Rao brought to the notice of Mr Modi that laboratory facilities at the CCMB can be utilised for conducting tests for a large number of patient’s blood samples from any place in the country.

He said that the CCMB was under the Centre’s control. “The CCMB conducts life sciences research. If an opportunity is given to conduct tests for the coronavirus, a thousand samples can be tested at one go at the CCMB,” Mr Rao said.

The CM explained measures taken by the Telangana state government and offered some suggestions to the PM on the measures to be taken. In this context, the CM spoke about the CCMB.

The CM said that in metropolitan cities like Delhi, Kolkata, Bengaluru and Hyderabad, passengers come from foreign countries in large numbers and they have to be checked.

He wanted more focus on the infrastructure to check for and treat coronavirus infection in these cities.

He felt that since a large number of people in the country travel by rail, tests should be conducted at the railway stations and high sanitation should be maintained in the railway coaches and at the railway stations.

Mr Rao said all measures were taken in Telangana state to prevent people gathering in large numbers and festivals like Ramanavami, Jagne Ki Raat and connected celebrations were cancelled.