Second COVID 19 testing lab operational in Bermuda

The Government of Bermuda on Sunday announced that two COVID-19 testing labs are now operational, providing the island with the immediate ability to conduct more than 200 daily tests.

The two labs are Helix Laboratory, which is operated by Dr. Desiree Spriggs and the second, the Bermuda Government Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory (MDL) came on line this weekend under the supervision of Dr. Carika Weldon. The two labs, when fully staffed, can run over 900 tests a day. Both facilities will work within the strict public health guidelines set out by the Ministry of Health.

Premier the Hon. David Burt, JP, MP stated, “Dr. Spriggs and the Helix team are to be commended for their work pioneering local testing in Bermuda. To expand our testing ability, the new lab will complement the work already being done by Helix. Both labs are operational and have test kits and additional supplies. Bermuda currently has the test kits to complete 800 more tests.

“Let me speak to Bermuda’s COVID-19 testing capability and what we can expect in the coming weeks. There are currently 10,000 swabs in Bermuda, this allows us to swab 10,000 people.  2,000 additional testing kits will arrive in Bermuda tomorrow – 20 April 2020. 10,000 testing kits purchased from the Cayman Islands will arrive on the airbridge flight from London on Friday, 24 April. Additional tests kit parts, which were secured by Dr. Weldon, arrived with her on the airbridge flight on 6 April. The balance of the shipment, which will give the island the ability to complete 40,000 additional tests, will begin arriving on the flight from London this coming Friday.

More information here