KINGSTON, Jamaica – The National Virology Reference Laboratory, housed at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI), is now fully equipped to test for viral infections the ZIKA virus.

This follows upgrading work undertaken at a cost of $10 million. The improvements have also provided increased capacity for the testing of dengue and chikungunya.

Minister of Health, Dr Christopher Tufton, who toured the facilities today (March 11), said the improvement work undertaken, has significantly reduced turnaround time for test results of suspected viral infections.

“With these new facilities here, the turnaround time could be anywhere from a few days to a week depending on what you are testing for,” he said.

He noted that previously, samples had to be sent overseas, particularly to Trinidad with the waiting time being anywhere from a few weeks to a few months.

“At which point, it would have been very difficult to treat cases, so it would definitely create higher risk for those who were infected or felt they were infected,” he pointed out.

Testing of influenza A (H1N1) has been ongoing at the facility. A total of 46 cases of the virus have been detected in Jamaica to date.

The UWI virology laboratory is the only one that offers viral culture and houses the National Influenza Centre (NIC) on the island.

It is a full service laboratory that performs a range of diagnostic services for the detection and monitoring of a wide variety of viral infections.

These include respiratory infections such as influenza, rubella, and measles; central nervous system infections such as poliovirus and herpes simplex; sexually transmitted infections; and gastrointestinal infections.

The lab was upgraded through resources from the National Health Fund (NHF) with support from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the Culture, Health, Arts, Sports and Education (CHASE) Fund.