A very specialised research laboratory that deals withinfectious agents is known as biosafety lab.
Any biosafety laboratory has to be approved by theIndian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the stategovernment is in constant touch with it, he said.
Since it is the need of the hour, the department isrushing against time to do the needful for setting up thebiosafety laboratories, secretary of the health and familywelfare department Kesonyu Yhome told reporters.
Naga Hospital Authority Kohima (NHAK) will have alevel 3 bio-safety laboratory while Referral Hospital inDimapur will have a level-2 laboratory,
Sample test for COVID-19 can be conducted in both thelaboratories, he said.
Biosafety level 3 laboratories deal with agents thatcan cause serious infection, while level 2 covers laboratoriesthat work with agents that pose a moderate health hazard.
Till now, samples for Covid-19 testing from Nagalandare sent to Guwahati and Dibrugarh in Assam, and Imphal inManipur.
Yhome, who heads the state level committee forestablishment of the facilities, said all security protocolsare being met for setting up the laboratories and assemblingof the required machinery is in progress.
The committee is working round the clock tomake the laboratories eady within a few weeks, Yhome said.
On the availability of efficient manpower, principalsecretary of the department Menukhol John said that expertshave been identified and additional personnel would be trainedfor the purpose.
While the state has no positive coronavirus case sofar, 61 samples were sent for testing out of which 48 sampleswere declared negative, and the result of 13 samples areawaited.
Principal director of the department Dr Suokhrie saidthat the samples are sent in sub-zero temperature, through aviral transport medium, for testing to ensure that thespecimens reach the destination properly. NBSMM MM