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With the spread of COVID-19 intensifying across the globe, the number of infected people in India is on the rise. There are various government-installed as well as private labs across India to conduct COVID-19 tests and diagnose suspected individuals, with more being set up as the need arises Here is all the information you need on testing centres and laboratories set up in the country.
List of Government Laboratories Approved by ICMR
1. Andhra Pradesh
| Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences, Tirupati |
| Rangaraya Medical College, Kakinada |
| Siddhartha Medical College, Vijaywada, |
2. Assam
| Gauhati Medical College, Guwahati |
| Regional Medical Research Center, Dibrugarh |
| Jorhat Medical College, Jorhat |
| Silchar Medical College, Silchar |
3. Bihar
| Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna |
| Darbhanga Medical College |
4. Chandigarh
| Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh |
| Govt. Medical College, Chandigarh |
5. Chattisgarh
| All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Raipur |
| Late Baliram Kashyap M Govt. Medical College, Jagdalpur |
6. Delhi
| All India Institute Medical Sciences |
| Lady Hardinge Medical College |
| National Centre for Disease Control |
| Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital |
| Institute of Liver & Biliary Sciences |
| Army Hospital Research & Referral |
7. Gujarat
| BJ Medical College, Ahmedabad |
| MP Shah Govt Medical College, Jamnagar |
| Govt. Medical College, Surat |
| Govt. Medical College, Bhavnagar |
8. Haryana
| Pt. B.D. Sharma Post Graduate Inst. of Med. Sciences, Rohtak, Haryana |
| BPS Govt. Medical College, Sonipat |
9. Himachal Pradesh
| Indira Gandhi Medical College, Shimla |
| Dr. Rajendra Prasad Govt. Medical College, Tanda |
10. Jammu & Kashmir
| Govt. Medical College, Jammu |
| Command Hospital (NC) Udhampur |
| Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Srinagar |
| Govt. Medical College, Srinagar |
11. Jharkhand
| MGM Medical College & Hospital, Jamshedpur |
12. Karnataka
| Hassan Inst. of Med. Sciences, Hassan |
| Mysore Medical College & Research Institute, Mysore |
| Shimoga Instt. of Medical Sciences, Shivamogga Inst. of Med. Sciences, Shivamogga |
| Command Hospital (Air Force) Bengaluru |
| Bangalore Medical College & Research Institute, Bengaluru |
| National Institute of Virology, Bangalore Field Unit, Bengaluru |
| Gulbarga Institute of Medical Sciences, Gulbarga |
13. Kerala
| National Institute of Virology Field Unit, Allapuzzha |
| Govt. Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram |
| Govt. Medical College, Kozhikode |
| Govt. Medical College, Thrissur |
| Rajiv Gandhi Center for Biotechnology, Thiruvananthapuram |
| Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute of Medical Sciences, Thiruvananthapuram |
14. Maharashtra
| National Institute of Virology, Pune |
| Seth GS Medical College & KEM Hospital, Mumbai |
| Kasturba Hospital for Infectious Diseases, Mumbai |
| National Institute of Virology Field Unit, Mumbai |
| Armed Forces Medical College, Pune |
| BJ Medical College, Pune |
| Indira Gandhi Govt. Medical College, Nagpur |
15. Madhya Pradesh
| All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhopal |
| National Institute for Research on Tribal Health, Jabalpur |
| Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College, Indore |
| Govt. Medical College, Bhopal |
16. Manipur
| Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Med. Sciences, Imphal-East, Manipur |
| Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, Imphal |
17. Meghalaya
| North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health & Medical Sciences, Shillong, Meghalaya |
18. Odisha
| Regional Medical Research Centre, Bhubaneshwar |
19. Puducherry
| Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research, Puducherry |
20. Punjab
| Govt. Medical College, Amritsar |
| Govt. Medical College, Patiala |
21. Rajasthan
| Sawai Man Singh Medical College, Jaipur |
| Dr. Sampurnanand Medical College, Jodhpur |
| Jhalawar Medical College, Jhalawar |
| RNT Medical College, Udaipur |
| SP Medical College, Bikaner |
| All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur |
| JLN Medical College, Ajmer |
22. Tamil Nadu
| King Institute of Preventive Medicine & Research, Chennai |
| Madras Medical College, Chennai |
| Govt. Theni Medical College, Theni |
| Tirunelveli Medical College, Tirunelveli |
| Govt. Medical College, Thiruvarur |
| Kumar Mangalam Govt. Medical College, Salem |
| Coimbatore Medical College, Coimbatore |
23. Telangana
| Gandhi Medical College, Secunderabad |
| Osmania Medical College, Hyderabad |
24. Tripura
| Government Medical College, Agartala |
25. Uttar Pradesh
| King George Medical University, Lucknow |
| Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi |
| Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Aligarh |
| Command Hospital, Lucknow |
26. Uttarakhand
| Govt. Medical College, Haldwani |
27. West Bengal
| National Institute of Cholera & Enteric Diseases, Kolkata |
| Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education & Research, Kolkata |
| Midnapore Medical College, Midnapore |
28. Andaman & Nicobar Islands
| Regional Medical Research Centre, Port Blair |
Source: https://icmr.nic.in/sites/default/files/upload_documents/Govt_Lab_COVID_19_Testing_V2.pdf
List of Private Laboratories to Test COVID-19
1. Gujarat
| Unipath Specialty laboratory limited, Ahmedabad |
2. Karnataka
| Neuberg Anand Reference Laboratory, Bengaluru |
3. Maharashtra
| Thyrocare Mumbai |
| Suburban Diagnostics Mumbai |
| Metropolis Healthcare Ltd Mumbai |
| Sir H.N. Reliance Foundation Hospital and Research Centre, Mumbai |
Source: https://icmr.nic.in/sites/default/files/upload_documents/Private_Lab_COVID_19_Testing_V2.pdf
FAQs
Here are answers to some questions you may have regarding COVID-19 testing.
1. When Should I Get Tested for COVID-19?
Only people who are symptomatic need to be tested for COVID-19. Only if you have a travel history to an area with an active outbreak or have been in close contact with someone who is suspected to or has tested positive for coronavirus, should you consider being tested. Depending on the testing methods of the area in which you live, you may be asked to self-quarantine at home for 14 days, after which you will be tested if you show symptoms of coronavirus. These are:
- Dry cough
- Body pain
- Fever
- Nausea
- Trouble breathing
2. What Samples are Required to Test for COVID-19?
Once you have been approved for the test, the medical representative will collect a sample of your upper and lower respiratory tract cells, as well as/or a blood sample. These will then be processed in an authorised lab.
3. Is the COVID-19 Test Free?
Yes, the tests being conducted at government labs are free of cost. Each private lab sets its own policies on testing, which includes the cost, method of collection, etc. However, according to government rules, the price of the COVID-19 test cannot exceed Rs. 4500 in private laboratories.
4. How is the Test Performed at These Centres?
Laboratories will take any one or more of the following samples:
- A swab test: A cotton swab is used to collect cells from the inside of the nose or throat.
- A tracheal aspirate: A bronchoscope, which is a thin tube with a torch at the end, is slowly guided towards the lungs to extract a sample.
- A nasal aspirate: A saline injection solution is injected into the nose and the sample is collected using gentle suction.
- A sputum test: A variation of mucous from the lungs is coughed up or collected from the nose using a swab.
- A blood test
5. How Soon Will I Get The Test Results?
It usually takes between 24-72 hours to get test results of the novel coronavirus.
6. How Do I Seek Treatment for COVID-19?
If you suspect that you (or a family member) has COVID-19, you can call any of the helpline numbers in your city. A district surveillance officer will visit you shortly to assess the situation. If the chances of COVID-19 infection are high, he/she will take it forward. You will be taken to a hospital centre for further observation and quarantine, and tested for the COVID-19 strain. If the tests are positive, you will be kept under further quarantine until complete recovery.
7. What Do I Need to Do After I Get Tested?
Stay in quarantine until the test results come back. If they are positive, the hospital will treat you until you recover.
8. Do Medical Insurance Policies Cover COVID-19?
Yes, all claims pertaining to hospitalisation and medical expenses incurred due to coronavirus are covered under medical insurance. Contact your medical insurance provider for more details on the same.
9. When Are the People Who Have Just Arrived in India From Abroad Tested for Coronavirus?
If you have travelled to India from abroad since the outbreak of COVID-19, you will undergo a temperature check at the airport or will be quarantined in a government facility. If you have not been quarantined, it is essential that you home-quarantine for 14 days, irrespective of having any symptoms. You will undergo the COVD-19 test if you become symptomatic by the end of the 14 days.
10. What Are the Odds of Recovery?
Another question tying into this is ‘Is COVID-19 fatal?’ According to the information and research on hand, COVID-19 has a low mortality rate. The elderly and people with respiratory or cardiac illness or compromised immune system are the most susceptible to it and fall into the high-risk zone. If you are not within the high-risk zone, chances are you will recover well.
11. Is There Any Cure for COVID-19?
No, there is no cure for COVID-19 to date.
Considering the panic surrounding COVID-19, it is natural for people, symptomatic or otherwise, to consider getting themselves tested. However, there are certain guidelines for coronavirus testing, as mentioned above. Knowing the right information will help you get yourself or the people around you timely help. Until then, don’t forget to maintain good hygiene, take precautions, and stay safe!
