nCoV sample testing begins in Alappuzha unit of NIV

Centre gives approval following State government’s request and the move will help identify positive cases faster

The new building being constructed for the National Institute of Virology (NIV) Kerala unit in Alappuzha.

Testing of samples for novel coronavirus (nCoV) has started at the National Institute of Virology (NIV) unit in Alappuzha.

All facilities have been made available at the Alappuzha unit and it takes 7-8 hours to test a sample. “We have started testing samples (blood and swab) of suspected cases from across the State at the unit,” said an official of the NIV Kerala unit.

For lack of permission from the Centre, the State had depended on the NIV, Pune, to test the samples. The samples of the first two confirmed nCoV cases in the State, one in Thrissur and another in Alappuzha, were tested at Pune. Taking into account the time and risks involved in transporting the samples to Pune, the State government last week sought the Centre’s permission to carry out laboratory analysis of the samples here.

Upgraded

Sources said the nod for testing samples in the unit situated at the Government Medical Hospital, Alappuzha, would help identify positive cases faster. “During the Nipah virus outbreak, the samples were tested at the Alappuzha NIV along with the Manipal Institute of Virology and NIV, Pune. However, at the time, only results from Pune were considered for confirmation. This time, the results of samples tested at Alappuzha will be considered official,” said a source.

Fully equipped

The National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has classified laboratories into different categories from Biosafety Level (BSL) 1 to 4 on a combination of laboratory practices and techniques, safety equipment, and laboratory facilities. According to the NCDC biosafety manual, contagious and dangerous pathogens such as nCoV should be tested in a BSL-4, maximum containment laboratory. For that reason, samples from across the country are tested at the NIV, Pune. However, NIV Alappuzha, has now been made fully equipped to test samples for coronavirus, sources said.

Meanwhile, the construction of a permanent building for the NIV unit in Alappuzha is progressing at Kuravanthodu. Earlier, the project was delayed on various accounts. Although the main structure is almost complete, allied facilities are yet to be finished. Once the unit was shifted to the new building, its functional reliability for testing samples for viral diseases would be scaled up. The project is implemented with funding from the Centre.