From shifting the provision of key services online to launching a string of innovative preventive initiatives, Saudi Arabia has been working diligently to combat the spread of the new coronavirus within its borders. As part of its efforts, the Kingdom has now launched a state-of the-art facility in Medina that will help speed up response time when it comes to identifying and tackling new COVID-19 cases.
The new mobile laboratory was set up by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Health and has been designed to analyze 10,000 samples daily, while significantly cutting down the result time to 12 hours. This is a major development for the country as labs of this nature used to analyze 2,500 samples daily and results would take up to 36 hours to be presented.
The facility is set to have a full-fledged medical and technical staff on-ground and is being supplied with medical equipment such as oxygen cylinders. https://t.co/b5X9LE3q1B
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The new mobile lab works using a computerized system, is linked to all hospitals and health centers in Medina region, and has been equipped with the latest medical machinery and equipment. The facility also has dedicated sections for medical staff, totaling 84 people, and for technical and administrative teams as well.
Along with the launch of this innovative facility, Saudi Arabia has been tackling the spread of the new coronavirus in other ways. This week, the country converted the Jeddah Exhibition and Convention Center into a 500-bed hospital that will receive mild to moderate cases of COVID-19. The country also announced last month the introduction of electronic wristband trackers to monitor people quarantined inside their homes, and also extended its Tawakkalna app to provide people with vital information, news, emergency numbers, and more.
