Chennai, The Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) will complete testing of about 1,555 swab samples sent from Madhya Pradesh in three to five days time, said a senior official.

"We have received the samples from Madhya Pradesh on Friday. It will take three-five days for us to complete the testing of the samples from Madhya Pradesh. We will be sending the test reports to Madhya Pradesh as and when they are ready," Ashok Shankar Badhe, Medical Superintendent, told IANS.

The samples from Madhya Pradesh came to JIPMER on the central government's direction. They arrived at Puducherry in a special flight on Friday.

He said JIPMER has also tested the samples sent from Tamil Nadu.

Badhe said more than 200 surveillance samples sent by Tamil Nadu were tested and reports given.

He said another government college in Puducherry has been authorised to do the sample tests.

According to Badhe, each sample may take about six hours to get the results.

He said the number of COVID-19 patients in Puducherry is eight.