U.N. nuclear agency sending coronavirus testing gear to 40 countries

VIENNA, April 1 (Reuters) - The U.N. atomic agency is
sending an initial batch of equipment to about 40 countries with
which they will be able to perform a standard test for the
coronavirus involving a technique derived from nuclear science,
it said on Wednesday.
The technique, real time reverse transcription-polymerase
chain reaction https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/news/how-is-the-covid-19-virus-detected-using-real-time-rt-pcr,
or real time RT-PCR, is commonly used in developed countries to
tell whether someone is infected. It detects the coronavirus's
RNA, its genetic fingerprint, on a swab sample.
The International Atomic Energy Agency is known for its
nuclear inspection work in countries like Iran but it also has a
mandate to help countries use nuclear technology for peaceful
purposes. It has received requests for assistance with
coronavirus testing from 90 member states.
The initial batch is part of a wider effort funded from the
IAEA's budget and extra contributions from member states
including $6 million from the United States, which has come
under fire for its own deployment of testing, and 5 million
Canadian dollars ($3.52 million) from Ottawa.
"Dozens of laboratories in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin
America and the Caribbean will receive diagnostic machines and
kits, reagents and laboratory consumables to speed up national
testing, which is crucial in containing the outbreak," the IAEA
said in a statement.
"They will also receive biosafety supplies, such as personal
protection equipment and laboratory cabinets for the safe
analysis of collected samples."
The pandemic has overwhelmed medical systems in some of the
world's most advanced countries, and testing is key to
measuring, locating and containing outbreaks. That has raised
fears the toll in the developing world will be even worse.
Iran, Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, Thailand, Vietnam, Cuba, Peru
and Uruguay are among the larger and more technologically
advanced countries that will receive the first batch of
equipment, worth around 4 million euros ($4.37 million).
Recipients in Latin America include Venezuela, Colombia,
Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras and Paraguay. In Asia, Cambodia,
Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, the Philippines and
Sri Lanka are among them.
The African countries include Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast,
Ethiopia, Ghana, Liberia, Madagascar, Namibia, Senegal, Sudan
and Togo.
Lebanon and the Palestinian Authority will receive
equipment, as will Armenia, Georgia and Bosnia, and Caribbean
countries including Jamaica and the Dominican Republic.
"IAEA staff are working hard to ensure that this critical
equipment is delivered as quickly as possible where it is most
needed," IAEA chief Rafael Grossi said.
($1 = 1.4208 Canadian dollars)
($1 = 0.9144 euros)