18 tonnes of materials for BSL-3 lab arriving today

Eastern Mirror Desk
Dimapur, April 15 (EMN): Amid public demand for a Covid-19 testing facility in Nagaland, Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft is expected to bring 18 tonnes of materials for BSL-3 lab to be constructed at Naga Hospital Authority Kohima (NHAK) on Thursday morning.

This was informed by Principal Secretary, Home, Abhijit Sinha through a statement on Wednesday. However, Sinha said that the delivery of BSL-3 lab materials will depends on the weather conditions.

Sources from Dimapur airport informed Eastern Mirror that two IAF aircrafts carrying medical equipment for Nagaland were heading towards Dimapur on Wednesday before being forced to turn back due to a cyclonic storm building up over Assam and Bangladesh.

The secretary for Health and Family Welfare, Kesonyu Yhome, had said on Tuesday that equipment for the biosafety laboratory (BSL) in Nagaland would arrive on April 15. The consignment was supposed to arrive on April 14 but was delayed as the AIF aircraft couldn’t take off from Mumbai.

184 samples sent for testing so far

The principal secretary to Home department, Abhijit Sinha informed that a total of 184 samples of suspected cases, including seven on Wednesday have been sent for testing from the state as of 6 pm, April 15, out of which 174 samples have tested negative while the results of the remaining 10 are still awaited.

‘The lock down measures as you are all aware has been extended throughout the state up to May 3, 2020. These measures are crucial in preventing and containing the spread of the novel coronavirus and I am happy to say that all of you have been providing your wonderful cooperation for the lockdown,’ he stated, adding that collective efforts and co-operation from all sections of the society is required for combating Covid-19.