Karnataka caps COVID-19 sample test cost at Rs 2,250

Bengaluru, Apr 18: The Karnataka government has restricted the cost of testing COVID-19 samples to Rs 2,250. The ICMR had fixed the pricing of COVID-19 RT-PCR tests at private laboratories at Rs 4,500.

Private labs were asked by the Supreme Court to offer free COVID-19 testing free for those eligible under the Ayushman Bharat.

"There is an urgent need to bring in more and more private laboratories for testing samples," the government said in a notification.

Karnataka has reported 353 cases as on April 17. The state is planning to increase RT-PCR testing to about 1,500 tests per day from 200-300 at present.

Earlier, the Supreme Court ordered that all private labs should conduct free tests for all Indians after private labs raised concerns over whether or not they would be reimbursed for the same by the government.

Modifying its order, the SC said on 13 April that only beneficiaries of the Ayushman Bharat scheme would be eligible for the tests, being 'poorest of the poor'.