Mobile laboratories expand test capacities domestically and abroad

The BNITM is coordinating the European Mobile Laboratories (EMLab), which are now providing on-site support for SARS-CoV-2 diagnostics in the current coronavirus pandemic. The EMLabs have already proven their effectiveness in other infectious disease outbreaks, such as the Ebola epidemic in West Africa. The mobile lab staff are registered as partners of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the EU Disaster Relief Mechanism. The provision of the EMLab laboratory units for possible epidemic or pandemic missions is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Health (BMG) within the Global Health Protection Programme (GHPP).

Deployment to Lesbos: The mobile laboratory of the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine (BNITM) was deployed to Lesbos at the request of the Greek authorities in the framework of the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN) of the WHO. Laboratory specialists from BNITM, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), and other institutions assisted national authorities in Greece to increase testing for COVID-19 in infected individuals and their contacts, as well as to treat other diseases. Financial support for the operation in the newly established refugee camp in Kara Tepe on the island of Lesbos in Greece was provided by the WHO Regional Office for Europe. More in our press release from 20.10.20

Deployment in Weiden in der Oberpfalz: On March 25, BNITM received an urgent request from the city of Weiden to support SARS-CoV-2 diagnostics at the Klinikum Weiden. Laboratory specialists from BNITM tested numerous patient samples daily and trained clinic staff. The costs for the mission in Weiden were borne by the city of Weiden and the districts of Neustadt an der Waldnaab and Tirschenreuth. More in our press release from 23.04.20

Project coordinator: Prof. Stephan Günther (Virology Department)