Goa government has decided to send the samples collected from suspected patients of the swine flu virus to Manipal in the neighbouring Karnataka, instead of New Delhi, to get quicker test results.
Of the 69 samples sent from Goa this year, 16 were positive for infection. One of these patients died at a private hospital in Margao town, health minister Francis D'Souza said.
Goa had all the treatment facilities for the disease with 100 beds reserved for swine flu patients, including 50 beds at state-owned Goa Medical College and Hospital here, he said.
Until now the samples were sent to a laboratory in New Delhi which charged Rs 4,500 per sample.
"We have now tied up with Manipal Hospital instead, which will charge less and the results would be available quickly," said D'Souza.
The disease was not spreading in the state, and those being treated had visited places such as Pune or Bangalore, he said.
