Bengaluru, May 24: Forty labs have been fined Rs 20.20 lakh for delay in uploading the results of COVID-19 tests, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister C N Ashwath Narayan said on Monday.

This information was shared to the DCM by Shalini Rajneesh, Nodal Head, in-charge of COVID testing, at a meeting convened by him, his office said in a statement.

Those fined include 9 government and 31 private labs. The total number of cases where results are found delayed for more than 24 hours since May 8, is 10,103 and this includes both government labs and private labs, according to the release.

Of these, 3,034 cases belong to government labs and the rest 7,069 cases are from private labs, and the labs have been fined Rs 200 for each case, it said.

Apart from this, 5 labs have been closed/penalized for sharing positive reports without uploading to ICMR, and showcause notices have been issued in 41 cases for delay in uploading samples.

"The government asked all labs to deliver the results within 24 hours, but some labs are not understanding the gravity of the situation...," Narayan said.

The DCM also said that it has been decided to place an invitation for quotation (IFQ) to procure 3 lakh vials of Amphotericin B (50mg Vial) to facilitate the treatment of mucormycosis (black fungus).

This was decided in a meeting held by the state COVID task force head with Anjum Parvez, senior IAS officer, Nodal officer-in-charge of drug supplies for Covid management.

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New Delhi (PTI): The Central Reserve Police Force has dismissed from service its jawan Munir Ahmed for "concealing" his marriage with a Pakistani woman as his action was found to be detrimental to national security, official sources said Saturday.

The jawan was last posted with the 41st battalion of paramilitary CRPF, the lead internal security force of the country.

He was "dismissed from service" under the rules that do not require conducting an enquiry, official sources told PTI.

"Munir Ahmed has been dismissed from service with immediate effect for concealing his marriage to a Pakistani national and knowingly harbouring her beyond the validity of her visa.

"His actions were found to be in violation of service conduct and detrimental to national security," CRPF spokesperson Deputy Inspector General (DIG) M Dhinakaran said.

Ahmed's marriage with Menal Khan came to light after India asked Pakistani nationals to leave the country as part of diplomatic measures taken in the wake of the Pahalgam terrorist attack in which 26 persons were killed.

The two got married over a video call on May 24 last year.

A CRPF probe found the jawan had "not intimated" his wedding and her overstaying in India to the authorities concerned.