National Reference Laboratory Increases Daily COVID-19 Tests To 6,000

The National Reference Laboratory, NRL, today announced it is increasing its daily COVID-19 testing capacity by 2,500, raising the total number of tests from 3,500 to 6,000.

This upscaling in operations comes as the "UAE Government identified widespread and accurate testing as a proven effective measure to curb the spread of COVID-19," the NRL, a Mubadala company, said in a statement.

Hasan Jasem Al Nowais, Senior Vice President of Mubadala Healthcare, said, "Our NRLfacility was able to help the national effort as it possesses the scalable infrastructure, diagnostic capabilities and professional support that were required to take on this vital role quickly and reliably."

He added, "All Mubadala Healthcare facilities are joining forces as part of the countrywide effort to tackle COVID-19 and alleviate its impact on the population and economy. We believe it is our duty to do everything we can to help the UAE successfully navigate this challenge."

NRL is one of only a few laboratories in the country that performs COVID-19 testing in a Biosafety Level-3, BSL-3, laboratory. Such laboratories conform to the highest level of standards required by the World Health Organisation for widespread diagnostic testing for COVID-19. In line with WHO and the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, recommendations, NRL tests all samples separately, while maintaining a fast turn-around time.

Abdul Hamid Oubeisi, Chief Executive Officer of NRL, explained, "When the situation arose, NRL rapidly implemented a test method validation and developed a comprehensive workflow for onsite COVID-19 testing to perform accurate and rapid polymerase chain reaction, PCR, testing for COVID-19."

He added, "NRL’s infrastructure, technology and manpower – which includes 14 pathologists and clinical scientistsand more than 200 medical laboratory technologists – allows for the processing of a high number of samples. The laboratory functions 24/7 to accommodate the demand, and due to our robust laboratory network, we coulddeploy a large number of skilled medical technologists to assure complete coverageat any time for this project."

NRL Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Basel Altrabulsi, points out that there are different types of testing available for COVID-19, each with its own advantages, and that NRL is capable of taking on whichever measures are deemed most suitable by the UAE government with immediate effect.

Dr. Altrabulsi explained, "The current molecular diagnostic testing relies on a technology called PCR and searches for evidence of the virus’s RNA genome. Viral RNA-based tests are useful in the acute illness setting and for individual patient management, as well as implementing strategies to prevent the spread in healthcare facilities and the community.

"However, we are also evaluating a blood-test technique, called serological (or antibody) testing. This type of blood testing may not be as useful in the setting of acute illness, but instead is very useful in contact tracing and surveillance at a local or national level.

"In my opinion, both of these type of testsare important tools to control and reveal the full scope of this outbreak. We are in the fortunate position of being able to mobilise whatever testing protocols are required."

Oubeisi concluded, "NRL is also collaborating with several academic institutions in the UAE to fast-track research projects related to COVID-19. Since research and findings on this topic areevolving daily, NRL is doing everything it can to positively contribute and stay at the forefront of this research so that it will be able to play its part in supporting the UAE government."