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Science & Technology
Have we learned nothing? 40 new biochemical labs that handle dangerous viruses are being built around the world after the Covid pandemic ‐ with 15 in Russia alone
2022-10-12
  • Work on the live virus that causes Covid must be carried out in one of these top level security labs

  • India currently only has one working lab, but is building five and has ambitious plans for at least nine more

  • Experts say they could be a concern if harmful research is done there which 'gets into the wrong hands'
More than 40 facilities certified as biosafety level 3 (BSL-3) or BSL-4 have either been built or have gone into construction since 2020, predominantly across Asia.

Many countries believe they were caught flat-footed by Covid and want to get ahead of the next devastating outbreak by studying pathogens that pose a threat to humans.

Russia has set out its proposals for 15 of the maximum security labs and India is aiming for 18 BSL-3 and BSL-4 labs in total. The US is also adding a further highest level biosecurity lab to its existing 12.

India is currently constructing five BSL-3 facilities and proposes at least nine more. Four institutions are planning to build BSL-4 labs with the highest level of security.

At the moment, India has three BSL-4 labs but only one is operational.

Plus India’s Government has agreed to set up four new national institutes of virology, two of which will handle BSL-4 pathogens in future.

Also in Asia, Kazakhstan, the Philippines and Singapore intend to build their first BSL-4 facilities. The US is due to add another BSL-4 lab to its existing group of 12 maximum-biosafety level facilities.

Russia also announced last year that it will build 15 BSL-4 labs, but gave little to no details.

At the moment, there are 63 BSL-4 labs in the world.
Posted by:Skidmark

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