The Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) said that only ICMR-accredited laboratories can collect COVID-19 samples from now on. It also directed all laboratories to ensure that their own sample collectors follow all bio-safety and bio-safety precautions while collecting samples.
“The personnel being employed by the laboratories should be sufficiently qualified as may be prescribed by ICMR/NABL or any authorized agency of the Governor of India,” read the order.
It also directed the district magistrates to conduct surprise inspections and visits. “The District Magistrate concerned shall ensure compliance and compliance of the above instructions by the COVID-19 testing laboratories/hospitals located in his/her jurisdiction and shall also ensure that any contravention of the above instructions is punished under the appropriate provisions of sections 51 to 60 Disaster Management Act, 2005,” it said.
It also said that the laboratories should store the samples as per the SOP/guidelines prescribed by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)/National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL).
“The laboratories should comply with all the guidelines and instructions of ICMR/NABL/GoI and Government of Delhi from time to time. The samples are rapidly collected, transported and processed by the laboratories and the reports are fixed for collection in their respective portals. are uploaded within the time limit and ICMR site in accordance with the instructions/instructions issued by ICMR, Government of India, NABL, DDMA and Government of NCT Delhi in this regard from time to time,” the order added.
Delhi recorded 405 fresh COVID-19 cases on Saturday with a positivity rate of 2.07 per cent, while no new deaths were reported due to the viral disease, according to data shared by the city’s health department.