DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – The world’s biggest travel hub – Dubai International Airport – is now home to the world’s largest in-house Covid-19 PCR test lab.
In a media announcement, Dubai Airports, which operates the international hub, said the 20,000 sq. ft. facility, located near Terminal 2, is capable of doing round-the-clock processing of RT-PCR test samples collected from passengers.
Khaleej Times (KT), in a report, quoted Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman of Dubai Airports, as saying that “as the world’s busiest international hub prepares for a surge in passenger traffic over the summer holidays and beyond, we were keen to make sure that the airport journey is safer, smoother and faster while fulfilling the required health protocols.”
He said the lab’s quick turnaround for processing test results “will go a long way in helping us deliver a service experience the world expects from Dubai.
This development came following a statement issued the other day also by Dubai Airports that it would reopen terminal 1 at Dubai International Airport tomorrow, Thursday, June 24.
The move will pave the way for over 40 airlines across the world to gradually shift operations to the reopened terminal, the main hub, which has been closed for 15 months due to the coronavirus pandemic, when landing in Dubai.
Currently, foreign airlines make use of terminals 2 and 3.
Meantime Dubai Airports said the lab can process up to 100,000 samples per day and provide reliable results within a few hours using latest WHO-standard Covid-19 RT-PCR testing equipment.
The laboratory was established in collaboration with Dubai Health Authority (DHA) and Pure Health which said the lab opened on Tuesday, June 22.
The lab is equipped with negative and positive pressure rooms and is linked to government reporting platforms ensuring secure and easy sharing of information between health and regulatory authorities and airlines, KT said in its report.
The Times of India, citing Dubai Airport, recently said Dubai International Airport has been the world’s busiest for international flights in May this year, topping the list with 189,5866 scheduled seats.
