Center for Disease Control and Prevention makes results available within 24 hours
Laboratory operatives take no risks.
Officials from Shanghai Center for Disease Control and Prevention said results on suspected coronavirus infections will be available within 24 hours.
The biosafety level-3 laboratory at Shanghai CDC is responsible for all testing in the city.
“The lab is in operation 24 hours a day,” said Teng Zheng, director of the lab. “We have an abundant supply of reagents. If there is sudden rise in demand, we can receive supplies within one day."
Teng said each patient will be tested for nucleic acid and virus DNA. Every sample will be cross-checked by two reagents.
"We have our results within six hours, but they are then sent to the emergency center for further epidemiological testing. The final result is confirmed within 24 hours," said Teng.
She said no virus mutation has been detected in the city so far and her lab will keep close eye on the results and report any discovery in time.
Staff at the biosafety lab are checking samples of suspected patients.
