The European Mobile Laboratory Consortium (EMLab) has responded positively to the call for assistance of the WHO and the Greek authorities to support COVID-19 laboratory diagnostics on Lesvos Island in Greece. A new migrants camp was established in Kara Tepe after the camp in Moria was destroyed by fire.
EMLab has mobilised one laboratory unit and participants from several institutes and European countries including the RKI, the BNITM, Belgium, Austria, Sweden, and the University Hospital of Heidelberg. EMLab teams on site work together with Emergency Medical Teams, that provide primary medical care to refugees in the newly established camp. The lab unit also provides clinical chemistry and hematology services to support clinical care.
The deployment is funded by the European Regional Office of the WHO and WHO-GOARN supports the deployment of the EMLab teams.