MADURAI: A diagnostic lab for Covid-19 cases was opened in the Theni Medical College Hospital on Monday. The lab in the department of virology can test 100 samples at a time.After Chennai-based King Institute of Preventive Medicine, this is the second lab in Tamil Nadu which can test coronavirus cases.The laboratory in the Theni hospital is headed by head of department of virology Dr S Lalithaa. It is among the 52 laboratories being established by the central government across the country for the purpose, according to medical superintendent of the Theni Medical College Dr M Elangovan.Earlier, health minister C Vijaya Baskar said permission had been sought to start similar labs in four other places across the state.The Theni hospital has a nine-bedded isolation ward to treat persons diagnosed with Covid-19.