![‘Private laboratories must inform health officials of positive cases’](https://www.thehindu.com/static/theme/default/base/img/og-image.jpg)
‘Private laboratories must inform health officials of positive cases’
The Hindu
They were told to collect only prescribed fees and avoid pooling of samples
All private laboratories approved by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) have been asked to immediately notify local health officials of all COVID-19 positive cases so that containment measures can be taken, according to the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine.
Director of Public Health T.S. Selvavinayagam on Tuesday conducted a review of the performance of these laboratories through video-conference. They were told to collect only the prescribed fees, avoid pooling of samples and update all data on the ICMR portal.
He said healthcare workers should be protected because of the high rate of transmissibility of the Omicron variant of the novel coronavirus. Surprise checks with an inventory audit would be done, if needed. All standard operating procedures should be followed to ensure the quality of investigations and more human resources should be engaged to avoid any backlog when the number of tests increased, he said.
![](/newspic/picid-1269750-20240618091016.jpg)
The tender documents specify that these buses will undergo a trial run first. A technical committee will evaluate the performance of the buses within a month. If the performance is satisfactory, delivery of the remaining coaches will be approved. If not, KSRTC reserves the right to cancel the remaining order without compensation.
![](/newspic/picid-1269750-20240618085742.jpg)
The T.N. State Transport and Road Safety Commissionerate has directed transport officials to impound any vehicles including omni buses that are registered outside the State and are being operated as unauthorised stage carriers. The move comes in the wake of the department extending the deadline several times to re-register vehicles that are registered outside the State, with local Regional Transport Offices (RTOs).
![](/newspic/picid-1269750-20240618084556.jpg)
The Madras High Court on Tuesday, June 18, 2024, granted time till June 24 for the Coimbatore cyber crime police to file their counter affidavit to a petition filed by YouTuber G. Felix Jerald, 49, seeking bail in a case booked for his interview with ‘Savukku’ Shankar alias A. Shankar in which the latter had reportedly made derogatory remarks about women police personnel in Tamil Nadu.