Third generation COVID-19 diagnostic kits in Iran
Today Reza Allahveren, the Head of the Health, Rescue and Treatment Department of the Ministry of Defense has announced the production of COVID-19 diagnostic kits.
Iran's Defense Ministry fighting coronavirus
From the early days of the virus outbreak, The Ministry of Defense developed products that were needed to fight the virus, such as disinfectant solutions, masks, and diagnostic kits. The industries related to the Ministry of Defense started their activities with the production of N95 masks and disinfectant solutions with full capacity. As a result, 150,000 liters of disinfectant solution and 40,000 masks are provided to the national centers every day.
The scientists at the ministry of defense have been working for two months on producing coronavirus diagnostic kits and the first kits were made about 40 days ago, but the process of their final approval had to be done at the Pasteur Institute. Last week, these kits were mass-produced and used at Imam Reza Health Center.
The produced kits are in generations. The first-generation kits identify the n gene, which is part of the Coronavirus. Now the ministry has designed and produced second-generation kits that are more precise with high test specificity, and the third-generation kits that identify the Rdrp gene will be available soon by the defense ministry industries. The kits are capable of determinig whether the patient is infected in three hours and show the genome of the virus.
In addition to the masks, disinfectants, and diagnostic kits, the ministry's scientists have designed and manufactured thermal scanners and provided them to a significant number of crowded centers and airports that can scan people in groups. Sensitive thermal cameras can play a role to precisely scan for fever in crowded areas where there is no way to check people individually.
In accordance to caring for infected people, the mobile biosafety level-3 laboratory was built at the Defense Ministry and delivered to the Institute of Pasteur, as well as the mobile therapy system and personal protective clothing used by the medical center. Also, disinfectant solutions and masks are provided to everyone in ETKA store networks which are under the management of the army.
Iran's army convalescent centers in people's service
The army's efforts don't stop there. During the last few days, the army has set up several convalescent centers in different provinces of Iran. A 120-bed convalescent center was set up at the Army's 05th Training Center. In Hormozgan, a 100-bed recovery complex of the Navy was put into operation with two separate 50-bed halls for men and women. The COVOD-19 patients will be admitted to the hospital and will go home after completing their treatment. In Kerman, a total of 380 beds are prepared in two convalescence centers and till now only 8 of them are occupied. In addition, all the forces of the army have been active in disinfecting places.
According to the head of the Ministry of Defense's Health, Rescue and Treatment Department "The duty of the Ministry of Defense is to provide defense equipment for the armed forces in the war times, but due to the capacity of the existing knowledge, we can meet the needs of the country in times of crisis."
"At first, the country may have been taken by surprise, but fortunately, gradually with the empathy and cooperation between all parts of the country and the military, we are seeing very good management of coronavirus crisis today".
2020 April 5