A new highly secure biological research laboratory that opened on
Monday in Christchurch, New Zealand, will allow the city to analyze
anthrax and other disease samples rather than sending them to another
jurisdiction, the Press reported.
Canterbury Health Laboratories is operating New Zealand's lone Physical Containment 3-certified hospital laboratory. The new $814,000 facility will allow for faster diagnosis of potentially high-risk disease agents that would otherwise have to be shipped to laboratories in Wellington or in Australia for analysis.
"Being able to do the work here will make our response to pandemics quicker ... and if there was something like an anthrax scare, then it could come here too," Canterbury District Health Board laboratories general manager Trevor English said.
Biocontainment features of the PC3 laboratory include a special air filtration system and a two-airlock entryway.
"This means that Canterbury Health Laboratories can provide PC3 lab services to the rest of the country. No other district health board has one," English said .
http://www.nti.org/gsn/
Canterbury Health Laboratories is operating New Zealand's lone Physical Containment 3-certified hospital laboratory. The new $814,000 facility will allow for faster diagnosis of potentially high-risk disease agents that would otherwise have to be shipped to laboratories in Wellington or in Australia for analysis.
"Being able to do the work here will make our response to pandemics quicker ... and if there was something like an anthrax scare, then it could come here too," Canterbury District Health Board laboratories general manager Trevor English said.
Biocontainment features of the PC3 laboratory include a special air filtration system and a two-airlock entryway.
"This means that Canterbury Health Laboratories can provide PC3 lab services to the rest of the country. No other district health board has one," English said .
http://www.nti.org/gsn/
