Guj gets its own coronavirus test lab

Manned by 30 researchers and docs, lab in BJ Medical College goes live today; will be available for immediate testing of samples 24×7

Even as Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan announced that 11 more centres across India would be made capable to test for 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCov), a preliminary run of the system installed at the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital showed successful results, informed sources in Gujarat health department. Mirror has been informed by highly credible sources that the system’s test run, conducted late on Friday, were successful and that the State was now equipped to test samples of suspect patients with immediate effect.

The Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) technique was firmly established using diagnostic reagent kits sent to BJ Medical College’s Department of Microbiology and Virology from the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune which was, till now, the only centre with the capability to test samples and confirm the presence of Coronavirus using patients’ nasopharyngeal swabs (secretion from nose and upper throat). In simpler terms, the RT-PCR is a laboratory technique combining reverse transcription of RNA (ribonucleic acid) into DNA that leads to the molecular diagnosis of coronavirus.

The virology laboratory in Ahmedabad has facilities for rRT-PCR that was used for real-time detection, established during H1N1 (swine flu) pandemic in Gujarat.

The laboratory, set up on the ground floor of BJ Medical College, will go live on Saturday and will be available for immediate testing of samples all around the clock. There is a team of about 30 researchers and doctors at the department who will staff the laboratory for 24 hours in three eight-hour shifts, informed sources in the health department. Officials informed that the system can test up to 40 samples at the same time. Testing is expected to take approximately 5-6 hours at the most.

Sources said that while inspection team from Delhi had found everything satisfactory for them to begin testing samples, the Gujarat Health Department had begun work on getting the laboratory ready for use as a testing centre sometime before that. The team at BJ medical College had been working round-the-clock for at least past three days, making sure every last precautionary measure was put in place in anticipation of Ahmedabad being declared a testing centre.

Till Thursday, Gujarat had sent 11 samples for testing to NIV and had received six negative results.

Results of five samples are still pending, informed officials.

BSL2+ level laboratory

The laboratory at BJ Medical College and one in Guwahati are the two virus research and diagnostic laboratories (VRDLs) that will testing begin testing from Saturday. The laboratory here is classified as Biological Safety Level 2 Plus (BSL2+) that is the minimum safety level to handle such viruses. For reference, the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune is the only one in the country to have BSL4 certification.

According to Biosafety Manual released by IDSP, under Directorate General of Health Services, BSL-2 Plus containment level is required when testing microorganisms with ‘serious or lethal consequences and potential for aerosol transmission’. There needs to be controlled access, decontamination of all waste and clothing, baseline serum sample Class I or II BSC or other containment devices for all procedures, negative air flow and air exhaust to outside, and self-closing double doors in such a lab.