New coronavirus testing units have deployed to all priority areas in Rwanda to control and strengthenquick response to the pandemic., an official source revealed Wednesday to APA in Kigali.
The Director General of Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC), Dr Sabin Nsanzimana said that with the introduction of first ever mobile testing units, combined with existing testing sites , their number has now increased where The National Laboratory responsible for the testing conducts more than 1,000 tests per day.
Before the introduction of mobile lab unitsm tests for coronavirus in the country were conducted at the Kigali-based National Reference Laboratory, which mostly receives samples from different entry points across the country as well as hospitals.
The uniquely-fitted vans are equipped to carry out the same function as a laboratory, a great addition toincrease the number of samples tested per day using the available 3 testing equipment.
Sampling and testing units are currently being deployed nationwide to all priority districts with suspected COVID-19 cases which will as well reduce on the turnaround time since samples are no longer being transported to Kigali first.
The mobile laboratory is equipped with test kits and personal protective gear including gloves, gowns, masks, goggles and shoe protectors.
The mobile labs are focusing on sampling a range of specimens for Polymerase chain reaction whereby tests are be done on respiratory samples using real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) whose results can be available within hours to two days, it said.
CU/abj/APA