Of the 4,612 people who were tested for the contagion,571 turned positive, Palaniswami said adding the RTKs will besent to all districts and testing could be done quickly forwhomever needed.
"One lakh test kits have been ordered and we aregetting it from China," he told reporters adding the kits havea 30-minute window for providing results which will aid quickand more screening of people to ascertain the presence ofvirus.
The kits will arrive on Thursday and the following daydistricts could have them, he said.
Also, orders have been placed for 2,500 ventilatorsand more masks and Personal Protective Equipment was beingprocured to meet requirements, he said.
The State has optimal inventory of drugs includingantibiotics and intravenous fluids needed to treat coronaviruspatients, he said.
While Tamil Nadu already has 17 testing facilitiesincluding 11 in government and six in private sectors,permission of the Central government was being awaited for 21more testing centres.
"Medical equipment has already come and as soon we getthe Central government's permission, a total of 38 testingcentres will be functional and the number of those beingtested for the virus will be increased," he said.
Health Secretary Beela Rajesh had indicated on Sundaythat the government intended to put up testing amenities forcoronavirus in medical college hospitals run by it across theState. VGNSS