As coronavirus cases surge, the Centre on Tuesday asked all state governments to release funds for setting up of additional medical facilities like hospitals, clinical laboratories and isolation wards to combat the pandemic.

The move came as the number of coronavirus cases in the country crossed 500.

'The central government has asked all the state governments to deploy fiscal resources for establishing additional medical facilities such as hospitals, clinical labs, isolation wards, expanding and upgrading existing facilities to combat the challenge posed by COVID-19,' an official statement said.

These facilities need to be well equipped with ventilators, personal protective equipment (PPEs), masks and drugs to treat the patients, it said.