₹2,200 from ₹4,500." ₹2,200 will be charged for collecting the swabs through viral transport media (VTM) from hospitals, while it would cost ₹2,800 for collection of swab from home.
Earlier, the charges were ₹4,500 and ₹5,200 respectively," said state health minister Rajesh Tope, adding that the new rates are the lowest in the country.Though revised rates are the maximum these labs can charge, district collectors can negotiate with private labs to reduce the rates further, Tope added.In cases of private labs charging more than the prescribed limit, legal action can be taken against them.Maharashtra has 95 labs to screen for covid-19, of which 54 are government entities while the rest are private.In state capital, Mumbai, 19,042 tests are.