GUWAHATI: The union health joint secretary Lav Agarwal, on March 25, said that a total of 118 testing labs for Coronavirus are currently operational in India.
He added that all government offices have been shut in the wake of the 21-day country-wide lockdown and urged people not to panic and not to hoard essential items.
“The medicines being prescribed are only in experimental stage. People who are consuming medicines without consultation may face side effects and it may be very harmful,” he further said.
Agarwal said that the central government is trying to make available masks and PPE and is in talks with the suppliers.
“Research agencies are also being taken into confidence for procurement. The government is trying its best that sufficient stocks of N95 masks and PPEs are available,” he said adding that the government has allowed private sectors to carry out tests.