Han Ximin ximhan@126.com A NEW COVID-19 testing lab established by the Shenzhen-based genomics company Beijing Genomics Institute (BGI) was inaugurated in Belgrade, capital of Serbia, on Monday, significantly increasing the country’s virus testing capabilities, the company announced in a press release yesterday. The opening of the Laboratory for Molecular Detection of Infectious Agents dubbed “Fire Eye” at the Clinical Center of Serbia was attended by Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic, Chinese Ambassador to Serbia Chen Bo and medical experts from China. The fully automated laboratory built in 12 days will be able to conduct around 2,000 coronavirus tests per day and will employ 40 microbiologists. It will start to accept samples tomorrow. This is the first of two laboratories to be installed by BGI in Serbia. The project is worth over 700,000 euros (US$760,700), of which around 570,000 euros are to be donated by Chinese companies. The second lab, which will be installed in the city of Nis in the coming weeks, will perform around 1,000 coronavirus tests a day. With these two labs, Serbia’s testing capacity will be doubled. Brnabic said the new lab “places Serbia among the most efficient countries in this part of Europe” when it comes to diagnosing COVID-19. She said that the laboratory will remain operational after the coronavirus crisis is over and will strengthen Serbia’s health care system. Serbia will continue discussions with BGI about the establishment of an Institute for Molecular Genomics and Precision Medicine in the country. Ambassador Chen appreciated contributions by the Chinese expert team and businesses to the construction of the lab, a cooperative achievement with their Serbian colleagues. “The lab will play a key role in controlling the pandemic in Serbia. Thanks to the Serbian people for their trust in Chinese enterprises and technologies, ” said Chen. There were 6,630 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Serbia as of Monday. A total of 125 people have died of the disease, which represents 1.89 percent of the number of infected. The country has accumulatively performed 41,812 virus tests. The Serbian Government announced Monday it has loosened some restrictions “in accordance with the current epidemiological situation and the opinion of experts,” allowing shops that offer services, fresh markets and construction sites to start working at full capacity. Despite the ongoing state of emergency declared March 16, car mechanics and tire shops, shoemakers, tailors, dry cleaners, driving schools, as well as retail trade shops — bookstores, car dealerships, bicycles, nautical and technical goods and building materials — were also allowed to go back to work. The new measures exclude shopping malls, hairdressing salons, beauty salons, gyms and fitness centers. In the last several days, Serbia marked a drop in the number of daily new cases, from 445 to 312. Local Daily Report on COVID-19 Infections Total: 461 New: 0 Recovered: 433 Death toll: 3 | 