Karnataka govt to rope in private labs to increase coronavirus testing

The Karnataka government will rope in private labs to increase testing capacity in the state, said Medical Education minister K Sudhakar on Sunday.

There are 80 state-run labs that are testing samples in Karnataka. Private labs have not taken any testing load. Rules will be formed soon for private labs to test the samples sent by the government, he said.

Sudhakar said that the number of cases will rise in the coming days, adding that there is nothing to fear. "More people are killed due to tuberculosis every year," he said. A total of 400 ambulances will be employed in Bengaluru to transport Covid-19 patients alone.

A total of 6.5 lakh people have been tested for Covid-19 till date, he said, adding that there is no shortage of beds for patients in the city.

Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai assured more facilities for the benefit of Covid-19 patients in coming days. "We need 500 more ambulances. Two ambulances are deputed per ward now, which has to be increased to four per ward," he said.

On reports of people leaving the city over another lockdown rumour, he said that such behaviour would result in increase in cases in rural areas. "Chief minister BS Yediyurappa has already assured that there won't be a lockdown," he added.