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Combating coronavirus: Inside UAE's twin labs that test 10,000 Covid-19 swabs per day

Abu Dhabi - When the twin labs started Covid-19 project on March 19, there were about 2,000 samples tested a day.

The UAE is among the leading countries in Covid-19 testing - and its laboratories are stepping up to help raise the number of tests conducted daily and curb the spread of the virus. For one company, the target is to get 20,000 tests done every day by May.
Unilabs, with its branches in Abu Dhabi and Dubai combined, currently tests more than 10,000 samples for infection daily. When the twin labs started Covid-19 project on March 19, there were about 2,000 samples tested a day.
However, as the UAE shifted its focus to mass testing, the volumes handled by these labs went up manifolds. And in May, the labs are looking to test double the samples than April - a sign of the UAE's commitment to fight this pandemic.
"The UAE government is leading an exemplary strategy of testing. The leadership is supporting the drive to test and isolate cases that have been proven successful to flatten the curve," said Dr Yusrah Atrah, clinical pathologist at Unilabs, UAE.
As it ramped up testing, the country has already conducted more than a million Covid-19 tests so far. In fact, it has the third highest testing density in the world. Nationwide, between 25,000 and 35,000 tests are handled every day. Fourteen drive-through testing facilities were also set up across the country, and thousands of workers were screened in their residences.
For Unilabs - one of the largest diagnostic providers in Europe - supporting the UAE amid the pandemic situation is a top priority.
Its UAE labs operate 24/7, with 58 specialists dedicated to the project. 
"We are at a current capacity of 10,000 tests per day combined from our Dubai and Abu Dhabi laboratories with plans to ramp up the production to 20,000 tests per day," Dr Yusrah said. Founded in 1987 in Switzerland, Unilabs today has presence in 16 countries across Europe, Peru, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Up for Covid challenge
Dr Yusrah said their labs' capability of conducting high volume of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests daily is an important aspect in combating the pandemic.
"We perform PCR tests across the laboratories within our group and we are able to release the report within 24 hours," she added.
"The PCR tests are composed of three different parts. The first is the RNA extraction. Second is the PCR or amplification when we amplify the viral material's presence in the samples and we will be able to detect as low as 10 copies of the virus.
"After this step, we do the result interpretation. At this point we are detecting the Covid-19 through three different targeted genes," Dr Yusrah noted. The samples are tested with an electronically integrated system, where results are automatically updated in the government portal.
Dr Yusrah said Unilabs is working hand in hand with healthcare authorities in bringing the pandemic under control.
"We have very experienced staff with extensive training and education to make sure they are able to perform their duties. We are up for the challenge and here to help," she added.
ashwani@khaleejtimes.com