<p>A new Covid-19 testing unit opened at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) here on Monday. </p>.<p><strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/coronavirus-live-news-updates-total-COVID-19-cases-deaths-India-may-2-lockdown-mumbai-bengaluru-delhi-ahmedabad-kolkata-maharashtra-karnataka-red-orange-zone.html">Follow latest updates on the COVID-19 pandemic here</a></strong></p>.<p>The unit is based out of the Centre for Infectious Diseases and currently has a strength of 15 scientists, postdoctoral students and researchers. </p>.<p>Dr Umesh Varshney, divisional chair of Biological Sciences at IISc, explained that the BSL-3 lab will start operations as soon as patient samples are dispatched to the laboratory by the Department of Health and Family Welfare. "The lab has tentatively started operations as of today. We will start testing a limited number of samples before we can determine if the lab can be scaled up to handle more samples in future,” Dr Varshney said. All tests will be carried out using the standard RT-PCR testing method, he said. </p>.<p>According to a source, samples are due to be delivered to the lab from Monday onwards. </p>.<p>The opening of this lab gives Karnataka a total of 29 testing laboratories. </p>
<p>A new Covid-19 testing unit opened at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) here on Monday. </p>.<p><strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/coronavirus-live-news-updates-total-COVID-19-cases-deaths-India-may-2-lockdown-mumbai-bengaluru-delhi-ahmedabad-kolkata-maharashtra-karnataka-red-orange-zone.html">Follow latest updates on the COVID-19 pandemic here</a></strong></p>.<p>The unit is based out of the Centre for Infectious Diseases and currently has a strength of 15 scientists, postdoctoral students and researchers. </p>.<p>Dr Umesh Varshney, divisional chair of Biological Sciences at IISc, explained that the BSL-3 lab will start operations as soon as patient samples are dispatched to the laboratory by the Department of Health and Family Welfare. "The lab has tentatively started operations as of today. We will start testing a limited number of samples before we can determine if the lab can be scaled up to handle more samples in future,” Dr Varshney said. All tests will be carried out using the standard RT-PCR testing method, he said. </p>.<p>According to a source, samples are due to be delivered to the lab from Monday onwards. </p>.<p>The opening of this lab gives Karnataka a total of 29 testing laboratories. </p>