Expedite COVID-19 testings as over 40,000 associated with confirmed cases: GMOA

The Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) today urged the health authorities to speed up the COVID-19 testing of some 42,000 personnel who have been in contact with over 160 patients tested positive for the virus in the country.

GMOA member Dr. Naveen De Soyza said it was revealed at a meeting held at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday that about 42,000 people have been in contact with those tested positive. He said the current pace of testing was not adequate to efficiently counter the spread of the virus.

"We have requested the authorities to immediately conduct the blood tests for COVID-19 instead of the usual PCR test which is time consuming," he said. The GMOA requested to increase the number of tests done per a day to isolate infected people as much as possible.