Mumbai, Dec 29 (PTI) The city's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) on Tuesday said it has introduced a new 24X7 COVID-19 testing facility, which gives test results in flat 13 minutes at a cost of Rs 4,500.

Since its launch on December 15, CSMIA has witnessed an average of 30-35 such tests per day, CSMIA said in a release.

A total of 400 express tests have been carried out at the airport till December 28, which include passengers who had connecting flights to destinations outside Maharashtra, it said.

In compliance with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) standards, CSMIA is the first airport to adopt the express test method by Abbott 'ID Now, which is aimed at providing arriving passengers with quick and accurate diagnosis, CSMIA said in the release.

The round-the-clock testing facility option is available for all international arriving passengers at the airport at a cost of Rs 4,500, CSMIA said.

The rapid molecular testing technology by Abbott is a tool to help fight the pandemic by allowing fast, highly sensitive and accurate diagnosis, the private airport operator said.

The test reduces the wait time for reports and provides early detection of the virus in time for passengers to take necessary measures to prevent disease transmission, thereby, creating a safer environment for travellers and airport staff, it said.

Passengers can also opt for a regular RT-PCR test which takes around 6-8 hours for the result, CSMIA added.

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