DW BUREAU / CHANDIGARH Punjab reported 24 more COVID-19 fatalities on Sunday, pushing the toll to 586 as 987 fresh cases took the state's infection tally to 23,903. Nine deaths were reported in Ludhiana, four in Amritsar, three in Bathinda, two each in Kapurthala and Jalandhar and one each in Barnala, Sangrur, Mohali and Gurdaspur, as per a medical bulletin. Districts which reported new cases include Ludhiana (316), Patiala (204), Jalandhar (79), Amritsar (76), Moga (59), Bathinda (41), Fatehgarh Sahib (37) and Gurdaspur (29). A total of 15,319 people have been discharged after recovering from the infection, the bulletin said. There are 7,998 active COVID-19 cases in the state as of now, it said. Twenty-two patients are critical and on ventilator support, while 131 are on oxygen support, the bulletin said. A total of 6,72,761 samples have been taken for testing so far in the state, it said. On the directives of Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, the Medical Education & Research Department has set up four new Covid viral testing labs to enhance the total daily testing capacity of 4000 tests during September 2020 with 1000 tests per day per lab in the state. Apart from this, the total viral testing capacity in three Medical Colleges at Patiala, Amritsar and Faridkot would also be ramped up to 5000 tests per day per college by August 31. Disclosing this here today, an official spokesperson said that this initiative would go a long way to fight the pandemic as early diagnosis is a key to contain and curb the spread of the disease.Meanwhile, Principal Secretary, Medical Education & Research DK Tiwari informed that Guru Angad Dev Veternary and Animal Science University, Ludhiana has already started its operations on August 5 with the capacity of 100 tests per day, which would be further increased to 1000 tests per day by in September. Likewise, the Forensic Sciences Lab in SAS Nagar (Mohali) will start its operations on August 10, 2020 with a starting capacity of 100 tests per day ramping up to 250 by August 30 and going upto 1000 tests per day by in September. Similarly, Punjab Biotechnology Incubator would start its operations on August 10, 2020 with an initial capacity of 100 tests per day and going up to 250 by August 25 and 1000 tests in September. The Regional Disease Diagnostic Lab in Jalandhar would start with a capacity of 25 tests per day ramping up to 250 by August 20 and increasing upto 1000 tests per day in September. It was further disclosed that so far over 6.15 lakh tests have already been done in state till date. A sum of Rs. 14.47crores has been spent for the procurement of total equipment for Virology labs.Informing about the process of setting up these RTPCR labs, Mr. Tewari said that these labs has been established in record time of three months from concept & design to reality. He said that process of approval and tendering etc. have been completed in 25 days, and machines installation in 15 days. He said that ICMR approvals have been taken in 10 days. Tiwari further said that lab at Mohali will be inaugurated jointly by Medical Education and Research Minister Mr O.P. Soni and Health Minister Punjab Mr. Balbir Singh Sidhu whereas in Ludhiana Medical education and research minister OP Soni, Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa. (editor@dailyworld.in)