Coronavirus: Delhi has recorded more than 5.6 lakh COVID-19 cases with 9,066 deaths, so far. (File)
New Delhi:
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has directed a price cut for the more reliable RT-PCR tests for COVID-19. Though these tests are being conducted free of cost in government hospitals, they can cost up to Rs 2,400 in private laboratories.
The Aam Aadmi Party leader tweeted the information on Monday days after being pulled by the High Court, the Supreme Court on the state of pandemic /containment in the capital and the centre’s intervention amid a third wave of coronavirus infections, which seems to be waning.
“I have directed that the rates of RT-PCR tests be reduced in Delhi. Whereas tests are being conducted free of cost in government establishments, this (price cut) will help those who get their tests done in private labs,” Mr Kejriwal tweeted.
I have directed that the rates of RT PCR tests be reduced in Delhi. Whereas tests are being conducted free of cost in govt establishments, however this will help those who get their tests done in pvt labs.
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) November 30, 2020
“Will issue order immediately,” Delhi Health Minister Satendar Jain responded to the post.
Recently, amid an ongoing surge that saw record 8,600 cases in a day, the Delhi government had said it would increase its daily Covid testing capacity from 60,000 a day to more than 1 lakh, with majority RT-PCR tests.
The decision was announced after a Covid containment meeting with Home Minister Amit Shah, who instructed doubling Delhi’s RT-PCR testing capacity, besides increasing hospital beds for Covid patients, and healthcare staff in city’s hospitals.
Since then, the Delhi and central governments, both, have launched mobile testing vans offering free coronavirus tests.
So far, Delhi has recorded more than 5.6 lakh COVID-19 cases with 9,066 deaths. The city’s daily coronavirus infections remained below the 5,000-mark for second day on Sunday with 4,906 fresh infections with 68 deaths.
Delhi was logging almost 100 Covid-related deaths a day in the week ending Sunday.
