After Record 14 Lakh Tests In A Day, India Crosses Landmark Of 10 Crore Covid-19 Tests: ICMR

With an average testing rate of over 10 lakh samples a day, India on Thursday (22 October) crossed the 10 crore-mark for total Covid-19 tests, reports Hindustan Times.

This amounts to around 74,000 tests per million population in the country. Lokesh Sharma, scientist and media coordinator at ICMR stated that India conducted 5 crore tests for detection of coronavirus in the last 45 days alone. Notably, a record 14,42,722 samples were tested on Thursday.

Sharma further informed that India had tested 5 crore Covid-19 samples by 8 September, and in less than 50 days on 22 October it reached the 10 crore-mark. The tests have helping in timely identification and isolation of those who have contracted the virus.

“This has been enabled by rapidly increasing testing infrastructure and capacity across the country. The ICMR has been enhancing Covid-19 testing capability across the country by expanding and diversifying testing capacity by leveraging technology and facilitating innovation in affordable diagnostic kits,” the ICMR said in a statement.

Balram Bhargava, Director General, ICMR said, “This testing milestone is testimony to the fact that India has been successful in implementing strategy of the 5T approach ‘Test, Track, Trace, Treat and use of Technology efficiently, which will enable us to contain the spread of the pandemic.”