Bangalore: Dr. K Sudhakar, Karnataka's Health Minister, congratulated healthcare workers and district officials on Saturday after the state surpassed six crore COVID-19 tests.
"One of the keys of Karnataka's success in fighting Covid has been testing. Since the beginning of the epidemic, we have conducted crore tests, which is the third largest number in the country. The minister tweeted, "Congratulations to all the health staff and district administration that made this possible."
When the pandemic began in early 2020, the minister told media that National Institute of Virology units were employed to conduct tests, and Karnataka sent samples to NIV centres in Pune.
Karnataka steadily built labs across the state, and there are now about 268 testing facilities in the state, comprising 99 government and 169 private labs, he said. Karnataka has so far tested 6,01,14,815 samples, including 1,14,12,162 Rapid Antigen Tests and 4,87,02,653 RT-PCR tests, he claims.He explained that 1,41,96,065 samples were tested in 2020, 4,23,91,357 samples in 2021, and 35,27,393 tests have been completed so far in 2022.
"Children accounted for 29 percent of the tests conducted between December 1 and January 20. We also do random RAT testing once every 15 days in schools, colleges, and eateries," the minister told reporters.
Tamil Nadu to impose Sunday lockdown
