New Delhi, Apr 7 (IANS): Goa will now have its own coronavirus testing centre. Till now samples were sent to Pune for testing. The Indian Navy has been roped in to bring a medical expert along with the coronavirus testing kit from Pune. The state government had sought help of the force soon after lockdown in the state.

On Tuesday, the Navy said, "Goa Naval Area launched the Dornier Aircraft from INS Hansa, Goa to Pune to bring Dr. Dilip Hinge from National Institute of Virology, along with COVID-19 test kits."

Hinge will provide training to the microbiologists at the Virology lab of the Goa Medical College with respect to the test facility.

On regular basis, the force had been transporting samples for COVID-19 for testing from Goa to Pune.

A Dornier aircraft of the Indian Navy carrying 38 samples for COVID-19 testing took off from INS Hansa to Pune on March 31. The samples were carried by an official from the Goa State Health department.

The air transportation was arranged following a request by the Secretary Health.

Earlier, the Indian Navy aircraft had also transported Goa state medical team to Pune to undergo training to set up COVID-19 test facility.

The medical team led by Savio Rodrigues, HoD Microbiology, Goa Medical College, underwent training to set up a COVID test facility in Goa.