COVID-19: Patnaik thanks IAF for airlifting equipment, personnel for setting up testing labs in Odisha

Bhubaneswar, Apr 7 () Odisha Chief Minister NaveenPatnaik on Tuesday thanked the Indian Air Force (IAF) forairlifting personnel and equipment to the state for setting uplaboratories for testing samples of persons suspected to beinfected with the novel coronavirus.

"Thank @IAF_MCC for airlifting personnel and medicalequipment in short notice to set up medical lab and otherfacilities in #Odisha. The expeditious arrival of equipmentwill strengthen #Odisha's fight against #COVID19 pandemic,"Patnaik tweeted.

The IAF airlifted personnel and 3,500 kg of medicalequipment of ICMR from Chennai to Bhubaneswar for setting uptesting laboratories and other facilities in Odisha.

The state government had on April 6 requested theCentre to facilitate Odisha to conduct at least 1,000 tests ofsamples every day by April 10.

Coronavirus cases in Odisha jumped from five on April1 to 42 on Tuesday.

Earlier, all samples had to be sent to the NationalInstitute of Virology, Pune. But the Centre later allowedconduct of tests at RMRC and AIIMS, Bhubaneswar and SCBMedical College and Hospital in Cuttack.

The state administration has also decided to increaseits capacity in COVID-19 hospitals to 3,000 beds by April 15. AAMACD ACD