Tunisia-Kasserine :Test laboratory to begin operation at local hospital as of today

This is a first batch before the Health Ministry provides the supplies needed for the tests, he added in a statement to TAP.

Over 50 swabs will be sent to the Tunis Military hospital for testing, pending the setting up of a mobile military lab in the region to conduct rapid tests and ease off pressure on the local hospital, he added.

The Kasserine governorate recorded 35 more infection cases after receiving the results of tests for 72 swabs that had been sent to the Farhat Hached Hospital’s lab in Sousse.

With the rising infection rate, representatives of the local anti-disaster and relief organisation committee inspected on Monday a space within the Kasserine city’s sport centre to examine the possibility to transform it into a field hospital.

This is a proactive measure given the rising number of infection cases, aimed to ease off the pressure on the regional and local hospitals that have reached their maximum capacity, First Delegate of Kasserine Atef Massi said.

The proposed space will provide approximately 40 beds, the cost of which will be covered by the Regional Council of Kasserine.

The number of those infected in the Kasserine governorate has reached 442, including 19 fatalities, since the start of the outbreak.