A Virus Research & Diagnostic Laboratory (VRDL) has come up on an experimental basis at the super specialty hospital here.
Sushanta Roy, the officer on special duty deputed by the state health department in north Bengal, said the first batch of eight swab samples of suspected Covid-19 patients were collected at the new lab.
“The swab samples and RT-PCR reports have been sent to the regional centre of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) at Bhubaneswar for verification. After we receive an approval from the ICMR, RTPCR will be carried out at the lab here and reports will also be issued from the facility. We are expecting the approval within the next two-three days,” Roy added.
At least 800 samples can be tested in a day at the laboratory in Jalpaiguri. Until now, samples from the district were sent to the NBMCH and it would take at least two days to get the reports.
Once the new VRDL becomes operational, the load on the laboratory at North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMCH) – the oldest such lab in north Bengal – would considerably reduce, said the health official.
“In due course, the number of tests can be increased. We are all apprehensive of a third wave of the pandemic when there might be a spike in Covid cases. At that time, this lab would largely help us for an early diagnosis of samples,” the officer on special duty added.
