Bhubaneswar, Apr 28 (IANS): The Odisha government has decided to increase the Covid-19 testing capacity to 15,000 a day, according to an official here on Tuesday.

Subroto Bagchi, state government's spokesperson on Covid-19, said the number of tests would be increased to 15,000 a day by including private testing laboratories approved by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has advised to ramp up Covid-19 testing in view of return of workers from other states in coming days. The senior officials have been assigned the responsibility of district observers to ensure organised return of migrant Odias.

Odisha has increased the Covid-19 testing capacity from 58 a week to 15,000 a week.

Patnaik had asked for smooth return of the registered persons with quarantine facility and they would be provided accommodation, food and medical treatment free of cost, said Bagchi.

With seven new cases on Tuesday, Odisha's tally has increased to 118. The number of active cases in the state increased to 80, and total recovered cases are now 38.