Puducherry, September 7: Ramping up testing amid increasing cases of COVID-19, the Puducherry government has roped in the ICMR-sponsored Vector Control Research Centre (VCRC) here to screen 1,000 samples daily soon, in addition to the existing capacity.

Chief Minister V Narayanasamy told a virtual press conference on Monday that he had spoken to the Chairman of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), seeking the VCRC's cooperation for testing the swab samples for COVID-19. Also Read | Kohinoor Electronics' Director Vishal Mewani Crushed to Death Under Lift in Mumbai’s Worli.

"The Chairman has conceded my request and very soon VCRC would start the testing and this would be in addition to what the state-run medical college hospital and the Centrally- sponsored JIPMER are doing," he said.

Expressing concern over the "negligence on the part of the youth and also the aged in observing safety protocols" for COVID-19, he said that the current spike in the number of cases was largely due to the carelessness on the part of these vulnerable sections. Also Read | Taj Mahal, Agra Fort to Re-Open For Public From September 21 After 5 Months.

"However, much the government tries to contain the spread of the virus, the failure to adhere to safety protocols is largely responsible for the rise in the number of cases here," he added. Puducherry's COVID-19 tally rose to 17,316 while the death toll due to the disease stood at 325 on Monday.

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