New lab in Cuba certified to make Covid-19 PCR tests (+ Photos)

The Molecular Biology Laboratory of this central Cuban province was certified to make PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) tests for the diagnosis of Covid-19. The island has a total of 27 centers of this kind.

The Health Ministry reported on Sunday 1,071 new Covid-19 positive cases and 10 dead.

Dr. Laydi Cabrera, director of the recently inaugurated institution, confirmed to Prensa Latina that the test phase for the verification of the parameters of the different technological means and the action protocol was satisfactorily completed.

Technicians from the Company of Specialized Engineering Services and National Electromedicine participated in this evaluation stage, she added.

Now, Cabrera added, we are moving on to the certification of all the staff by specialists from the Pedro Kouri Tropical Medicine Institute (IPK) in the country's capital.

The 35 technicians of the new laboratory were trained by experts from the laboratories of Villa Clara and Camagüey provinces, and from Moron, in Ciego de Avila.

According to the program, the laboratory will process the first 50 samples for the detection of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus next Monday.

The country now has 27 facilities for diagnosing patients infected with the virus, the last ones to start operating were those of the Special Municipality of Isla de la Juventud and Sancti Spiritus.