'Virology lab at Wenlock Hospital gets ICMR nod, to start operating from today'

Mangaluru: The virology lab set up in Mangaluru to test COVID-19 samples will start operating from Tuesday, April 7 informed District in-charge Minister Kota Srinivas Poojary.

Taking to Twitter Srinivas wrote, “After receiving approval from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and National Institute of Virology (NIV), the Virology Research and Diagnostic Laboratory set up at district Wenlock will start operating from today, (April 7). The samples for COVID-19 will be tested in the district itself. I thank the state government for helping us set up the lab.”

This becomes the 10th operational government laboratory for testing COVID-19 samples in Karnataka.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has given its approval for testing COVID-19 samples at the new virology laboratory set up at the Government Wenlock Hospital in the city.

A team of specialists from the ICMR had inspected the facilities at the laboratory a few days ago. They also tested the capability of the personnel, including senior specialist Sharath Kumar, before granting final approval late on Sunday, sources said.

The new BSL-3 laboratory has come up within three weeks after Minister for Health and Family Welfare B. Sriramulu made an announcement to this effect during his visit to Mangaluru on March 17.