Sri Lanka, June 27 -- A special molecular diagnostics laboratory with the capacity to perform 500 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests per day, was opened at the Colombo East Base Hospital (CEBH) by Health Minister Pavithra Vanniarachchi, on Wednesday. It was set up at a cost of Rs.250 million.

The laboratory can perform a total of 96 PCR tests within two hours, and produce reports within four hours. It would cut down the time spent on obtaining samples and issuing reports by one-third.

The technology for this project has been provided by the Beijing Genomics Institute (BGI). Moreover, in addition to detecting patients with COVID-19, the laboratory has facilities to detect other communicable diseases and cancers as well.

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