The government of Delhi has approved its nod to three private pathological laboratories in the city to test swine flu samples.

The laboratories include Dr. Dang's Pathology Labs, Dr. Lal's PathLabs and Auroprobe Lab.

These labs are likely to begin collecting samples from Friday.

Apart from this, the government of Delhi will also approve the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences in Vasant Kunj to test suspected swine flu samples within the next 10 days.

Speaking on this, Kiran Walia, Health Minister, Delhi said: "There was tremendous urgency to involve private labs in testing suspected H1N1 samples. The government labs in AIIMS, Patel Chest Institute and NICD have been overburdened with samples. Test results were coming after 10 days.''

The minister also informed the media persons that Delhi had so far reported 549 H1N1 cases and of these 495 had been discharged.

It should be mentioned here that Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad had last week announced that for allowing private labs to test samples, no formal permission was required from the Centre.