With an aim to intensify COVID-19 testing across the country, the ICMR on June 23 validated the 1,000th testing laboratory, while the number of RT-PCR tests for detection of the disease crossed the seven million-mark.

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Out of these 1,000 COVID-19 testing laboratories, 730 are in government setups and 270 laboratories are in the private sector. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), a total of 71,37,716 samples have been tested till June 22. As many as 1,87,223 samples were tested on June 22 alone. "This is an important milestone in the fight against coronavirus. Since the beginning, we have been focusing on 3Ts -- testing, tracking and treating -- to fight the disease. Through increased testing, we are fighting this virus," ICMR Director General Dr. Balram Bhargava said. "Our goal was to establish a lab in every district of the country, which we have achieved to a large extent," he said.

The country is now testing over 1.90 lakh samples every day. Besides validating coronavirus testing laboratories, the ICMR has also appealed to people to stay safe and take all possible steps to keep the virus at bay, especially for the elderly, pregnant women and children. "Efforts of ICMR can be understood from the fact that coronavirus testing lab has been established in the remotest parts of the country. For example, a COVID-19 testing laboratory has been established at an altitude of 18,000 feet in Leh," the apex health research body said.

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