A laboratory capable of processing tens of thousands of Covid-19 tests per day has opened in the UAE.
It is the first facility of its kind to operate on such a scale outside of China.
The companies behind the lab said it will help speed up the diagnosis of suspected cases, screening of their close contacts and other high-risk groups, as well as the release of recovered patients, freeing up badly needed hospital beds.
It will initially prioritise testing within the UAE, but could eventually receive samples from neighbouring regions, reported state news agency Wam. The lab, which was set up in just 14 days, will also monitor any mutations in the virus.
"In such challenging times, we feel compelled to leverage our expertise, technological resources and international partnerships to bring rapid, accurate testing capabilities on a massive scale and bolster the detection efforts led by authorities,” said Peng Xiao, chief executive of Group 42, an artificial intelligence and cloud computing firm in Abu Dhabi that is running the laboratory with global genomics company, BGI.
“We thank the UAE leadership’s support in protecting the health and well-being of the country’s residents against this pandemic,” he said.
Located in Masdar City, the facility will run a type of test known as Real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, or RT-PCR.
The test works by taking a sample from a human's throat or nose then stripping it down to the virus' genetic code. In this case, the virus' genetic code takes the form of a single strand molecule of RNA.
The RNA is converted into DNA before scientists add more fragments of DNA, that look like the virus, so they bind together.
The mixture is heated and cooled to trigger specific chemical reactions that create new, identical copies of the target sections of viral DNA. As new copies of the viral DNA sections are built, the marker labels attach to the DNA strands and release a fluorescent dye. Presence of this dye suggests the a positive result for Covid-19.
It is the only RT-PCR test that has been approved by health authorities in China, Europe, the United States and by the World Health Organisation.
This week, UAE health authorities said they had carried out more than 220,000 tests for Covid-19 – the second highest test density in the world.
The country is currently rolling out a network of drive-through testing centres.
The first is already up and running in Abu Dhabi and will be followed by more across Dubai, Sharjah (which will also serve Ajman and Umm Al Quwain), Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, Al Ain and Al Dhafra.
Each of the centres will perform 600 tests per day.
On Tuesday, health authorities revealed they have rolled out a mass Covid-19 screening programme for as many as 200,000 labourers across the Northern Emirates.
The moves are in line with the WHO’s advice to "test, test, test" for the virus to help contain the global outbreak.
Upscaled testing is expected to result in a surge in confirmed cases of coronavirus across the country.
But experts say this means known infected patients can then be placed into quarantine and get the required treatment to help limit further spread of the virus.
That in turn, should accelerate the country’s ability to return to some resemblance of normality, although restrictions are likely to be in place for some time.
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
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Brief scores
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The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
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Transmission: Single-speed automatic
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The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
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Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
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- Took up a public relations role for Chancellor Rishi Sunak in April 2020
- In October 2020 she was hired to lead No 10’s planned daily televised press briefings
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- Ms Stratton, 41, is married to James Forsyth, the political editor of The Spectator
- She has strong connections to the Conservative establishment
- Mr Sunak served as best man at her 2011 wedding to Mr Forsyth
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
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Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
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Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
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Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
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Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
'Worse than a prison sentence'
Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.
“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.
“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.
“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.
“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.
“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”
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Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
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Nissan 370z Nismo
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Transmission: seven-speed automatic
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Torque: 560Nm
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SNAPSHOT
While Huawei did launch the first smartphone with a 50MP image sensor in its P40 series in 2020, Oppo in 2014 introduced the Find 7, which was capable of taking 50MP images: this was done using a combination of a 13MP sensor and software that resulted in shots seemingly taken from a 50MP camera.
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