Slow pace of testing a concern as 7000 sample results pending in Uttarakhand

DEHRADUN:Over 7000 samples are pending for testing in Uttarakhand, a figure which is causing concern to health-watchers. The state has till now tested 34,500 samples while neighbouring　Himachal Pradesh, with equal number of testing labs as Uttarakhand, has tested over 40,000 samples and had just 940 pending samples till Tuesday.

Anoop Nautiyal, founder of Dehradun-based research organisation Social Development for Communities (SDC) Foundation, who has also tweeted to Union health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan seeking help to speed up the testing process in the state, told TOI that the sample pendency reaching 7,004 from barely 1,600 samples on May 21, was worrisome. " The infection rate also reached 4% in Uttarakhand on Wednesday, which is not much below the national average of around 5%," said Nautiyal, adding that the preparedness of the government machinery in this regard is cause for concern.

Meanwhile, a Covid-19 testing lab was inaugurated at the Indian Institute of Petroleum (IIP) in Dehradun on Wednesday. This will be the sixth Covid sample testing lab in the state.

Commenting on the pending samples, additional secretary (health) Yugal Kishore Pant said that with the sixth lab at IIP, the state will be able to speed up the testing process.

He added, "We have recently purchased new antibody testing machines for several districts while discussions are on with some more private labs to participate in testing. One government lab in Almora is also being converted into Covid testing lab and the process will be completed soon."

Meanwhile, Nainital reported 15 new Covid-19 cases on Wednesday followed by nine each in Haridwar and Dehradun. Pithoragarh , Udham Singh Nagar and Pauri reported one new case each while Chamoli reported 6 new cases on Wednesday.