Kodagu got its own laboratory for conducting COVID-19 testing on Friday. The hi-tech laboratory has come up on the premises of Kodagu Institute of Medical Sciences in Madikeri.
The throat and nasal swabs from suspected cases in Kodagu used to be tested at the VRDL in Mysuru Medical College. Now, the testing of samples can be done in the newly-opened lab which has been developed at a cost of ₹1.06 crore in the Department of Microbiology.
Senior faculty Patkar inaugurated the lab in the presence of Minister in-charge of Kodagu district V. Somanna, MP Pratap Simha and others.
The lab is equipped to test 100 throat and nasal swabs daily. Doctors said the lab would become fully functional in the next one week and carry out full-fledged tests.
The district health authorities hoped to carry out tests on other viral and bacterial infections after getting permission from the ICMR.