Eureka maintains it can detect new Covid strain

The Eureka Medical Labs maintains that it does have the ability to detect the new COVID-19 strain but notes that the Labs cannot differentiate one strain from the other.

The statement from Eureka sent out on Wednesday comes as clarification to previous reports in the media which reported that the Labs could detect the new strain. However, in subsequent media articles, Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony cast doubt on whether the Labs could detect the new strain as the Eureka “does not have the capabilities of performing genetic sequencing for the virus”.

According to Eureka: “It should be noted Eureka lab has the capability to detect persons with COVID-19 infection through PCR testing. This includes the possibility of a positive PCR test for persons with the new strain of COVID-19. We wish to reiterate, however, that we do not have the capacity to conduct gene sequencing, which is the technology required to differentiate one type of COVID-19 strain from another. That technology is not yet available in Guyana.”

As Guyana battles the virus, the Eureka Medical Labs said that it will continue to work in partnership with the Ministry of Health providing samples on request to send to Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) for gene sequencing.