Sanitisation work conducted at Microbiology department of Calcutta Medical College Hospital

Kolkata: The Covid testing process was affected at the Calcutta Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) on Wednesday after the Microbiology department has reportedly seen Covid infection.

The incident has triggered fear among the staff members of the department.

The microbiology department plays a crucial role as it conducts the COVID-19 tests. Ever since the CMCH started functioning as a dedicated Covid hospital a huge number of Covid affected patients have received treatment

in the hospital many critical patients were cured and released by the hospital. If the Covid tests are not properly done at the microbiology department, it may

have an implication on the Covid treatment of the hospital.

Calcutta Medical College and Hospital has already carried out 7,260 sample tests since May 8. It conducts RT-PCR method of testing.

According to sources, sanitisation works were done at the microbiology department on Wednesday. It may function normally from Thursday. The CMCH initially started the TRUENAT method of

testing and later adopted

RT-PCR method to conduct more number of tests per day.

It may be mentioned here that there has been a huge pressure on the government owned laboratories throughout the state. State health department has already deployed extra work force in various laboratories to ensure that Covid testing processes are not hampered.

The employees have been working in various shifts in this pandemic situation.

Around 53 testing laboratories have been operating across the state. More than 11,000 Covid tests are done in the state per day on an average basis.

State Health department has set a target of conducting nearly 1 lakh tests per day as it is importing automated Cobas machines from abroad.