GUWAHATI: India reported its third coronavirus fatality with a 64-year-old man dying in Mumbai.
Meanwhile Health Ministry officials said as the number of positive cases rose to 137.
Reportedly Maharashtra has recorded the most cases, with 36. Kerala follows in second with 24 and Uttar Pradesh is third with 14.
Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Director-General Dr Balram Bhargava said, "We already know that we are in stage 2. We are in not in stage 3, clearly." Bhargava said the ICMR will start engaging private labourites to start testing. "ICMR is also engaging with high-quality private laboratories, that include NABL-accredited laboratories, to understand the modalities to increase access to the tests while ensuring appropriate safeguards," he added.
Lav Aggarwal, Joint Secretary, Union Health Ministry says, "ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research) has strongly appealed that private laboratories should offer COVID-19 diagnosis at no cost."