--- title: "Subscribers" description: "CBRNe World provides those tasked with defending against CBRN and IED threats with the essential practical, scientific and political information. Access the current and previous issues of the magazine by registering as a member." url: "https://cbrneworld.com/news/subscribers?start=936" date: "2026-07-31T10:21:27+00:00" language: "en-GB" --- [![](https://cbrneworld.com/templates/yootheme/cache/72/University_of_Manchester-727f44f0.jpeg)](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1570:university-of-manchester-is-3d-printing-safety-equipment-for-front-line-nhs-workers&catid=12) ## [University of Manchester is 3D printing safety equipment for front-line NHS workers ](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1570:university-of-manchester-is-3d-printing-safety-equipment-for-front-line-nhs-workers&catid=12) Written by Zoe Rutherford on 07 April 2020. The University of Manchester is repurposing specialised equipment across its campus to help produce safety equipment for NHS workers battling COVID-19 in an attempt to help reduce the critical demand across the region. In a combined effort with other universities, including Salford and MMU, The University is utilising 3D printing capabilities to design and make headbands for protective facemasks worn by frontline NHS medical staff in hospitals. With nearly 50 printers across the University it is aimed that around 500 additional mask headbands can be produced per week. The face shield is being laser cut by regional commercial suppliers and assembled at Salford Royal Hospital NHS Trust, part of the Northern Care Alliance. Professor Brian Derby is coordinating the 3D printing response at The University of Manchester, he said: “3D printing has allowed the Greater Manchester-based team to progress rapidly from concept, to prototypes, which allowed infection control teams to validate the design and enable the production of PPE acceptable for use in the regions hospitals.” A team of experimental officers and technical staff who can operate the 3D printers have volunteered to work on site to help with the surge in demand. Measured steps are being taken in an effort to reduce staff travel to minimise risk. NHS staff will collect the masks from the University campus on a daily basis to help resupply their essential stock of PPE. The University of Manchester is assisting the NHS by mobilising its staff, laboratory space and equipment as part of a collective effort to [combat the COVID-19 pandemic](http://tracking.vuelio.co.uk/tracking/click?d=0NW-aI1wN3RtLUAokkVSq3ME8Qip2SiOC-m7zkVP15EZjtLflNVQkG11JnvS5uBip-Klo3SD0VIziCj1s_dzHo5eMyDgqTTfywU6xLgNuxpxCazdQFQb5XGW360aNH3Hbmw79dJ_0_jFPsOUQXGFWRODysOUluisgku5l5CvQ3SJ0) in a fast moving and rapidly changing situation. The University of Manchester has established a COVID-19 research rapid response group through which scientists are working with NHS colleagues from [Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust](http://tracking.vuelio.co.uk/tracking/click?d=VIlYjBPcdVXDjl60E8C_RJf6TgwIHprbk_d5ElVOgsxD60iyx6PYFKv2sxuLf-MkASMJKpj0w5T_LwoVTh0ziKnPIeYagWLuSISUhUF-FJZM24pzbMtgQRiZhYS7oE5-SKccnGzgsBHhyWJypqQkH6ylEbWzsatzAvjDrtikfiXG4aW9kXTBxoUEdgWRHVBDOw2) and the [Northern Care Alliance NHS Group](http://tracking.vuelio.co.uk/tracking/click?d=BYM4JtDRT2EnLwrMPvh5VMALb-AbcYO8b-aZvUqZrVwYb-SBkddVP_BvEJvDlHwJ7QvjAS2wd3jJ9a3kL4s8ArUU7DHq1-70qRqD4S5WdOb4nEidZtlKXFQVXDGNvh6vN8daVHQV_umHD7jCqV-hSrg1), supported by [Health Innovation Manchester](http://tracking.vuelio.co.uk/tracking/click?d=cjPWBlwAyPN-l2rozmXEhEGz7Yv5sXv726QXXEoI0XoWeWBbY6Qk9oapnti2-44h6GIXNCrI6leSmgLT4GQwtppDNvwxmT8ie7vx9HJ3AsOl1ZT0fLwLO0TR7ZeCbB39DbikA4qWUA4ao7QeXHMjR841), and utilising our experimental and translational research expertise through the NHIR Manchester [Biomedical Research Centre](http://tracking.vuelio.co.uk/tracking/click?d=W0dkHIpbhbYem2cGWmCFJity4TP8d0WThvNIEcQO68k2ujTpKuZGfPxXHmrm_nSHbPr_DsRYp7fMa25Eny1Xig-5ihyz0c_6Ezwyfe2PBo6M3fNGgGVSaS7MuqL7DHDCyxw42K7pb-M6dAaApIEcAW1eqoQVJmrsgShwR7zMX5wsfSTRJlibul1HPqfZ7NwIMfndVbopDdZkF9hXO98m3CU1) and [NIHR Manchester Clinical Research Facility](http://tracking.vuelio.co.uk/tracking/click?d=-kcPcEJDS6YRVH0-HHx-XkJRJFN7uVqGu5JEMkn7sR7fMtmTsCAK_CJYvuDoS1uRu-OWykp5YB7R61A-76rMGTDwbyE6AkfhJJGvBdvBxT6JmbVVHHXqGctCwtQZzJyt_DdIRF8hJc79ugZI7RpTdYWCk168L_4RG2NubIXcyMxb4Z571BYfBEqgY539Hqb4Rg2). Much sought after personal protective equipment (PPE) is also being donated by the University in the midst of a global shortage. Some high-spec or environmentally controlled laboratories including biomedical labs and graphene cleanroom labs, require users to wear PPE including; goggles, gloves and facemasks. A stock of PPE including 47,660 pairs of nitrile gloves and 200 pairs of protective goggles has now been donated to local health practices to help safeguard doctors and nurses with further stock to be audited and offered. Elsewhere the Henry Royce Institute which is based at The University of Manchester and with national links to industry and academia has put out a call to link industry partners with NHS colleagues in order to help industry understand and solve problems faced by the nation’s medical staff in a rapidly changing environment caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. [Equipment](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/equipment), [CBRNe](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/cbrne), [Protection](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/protection), [Biological](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/biological) [![](https://cbrneworld.com/images/News-Images/Bechtel.jpg#thumbnail=%2C&srcset=1)](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1568:u-s-government-extends-bechtel-contract-for-chemical-weapons-destruction&catid=12) ## [U.S. Government Extends Bechtel Contract for Chemical Weapons Destruction](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1568:u-s-government-extends-bechtel-contract-for-chemical-weapons-destruction&catid=12) Written by Zoe Rutherford on 06 April 2020. The United States government has formally added three years to the current Bechtel contract to destroy 2,600 tons of surplus chemical weapons stored at the U.S. Army Pueblo Chemical Depot in Colorado, adding provisions to accelerate the destruction to meet commitments to Congress and international treaty by end of 2023. The contract modification includes the construction of three new structures called static detonation chambers to destroy munitions that could not be easily processed by automated equipment at the Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (PCAPP). “The mission of this plant, our people, and our customer has international significance: to help rid the U.S. of chemical weapons,” said Barbara Rusinko, president of Bechtel’s Nuclear, Security & Environmental global business unit. “The team overcame the challenge posed by some munitions and is now simultaneously operating the main plant and building the new destruction facilities.” "This is an important achievement that helps the program continue our most important responsibility--maintaining the safety of the community, the workforce and the environment," said Michael S. Abaie, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives program executive officer. "This puts us in a good position to complete the mission of the safe destruction of the chemical weapons stockpile stored at Pueblo Chemical Depot by December 2023 and the closure efforts that will follow." The modification carries an estimated value of $1.2 billion. The work is being conducted under a cost-plus award fee contract to the U.S. Department of Defense Program Executive Office Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA). The first-of-a-kind plant began pilot operations in 2016 after completing design, construction, and testing. The plant has now destroyed more than 1,300 U.S. tons of mustard agent - more than half of the stockpile in Colorado. When operations are complete, the team will have destroyed more than 2,600 tons of mustard agent in three types of chemical weapons: 155mm projectiles, 105mm projectiles, and 4.2-inch mortar rounds. Then, the Bechtel Pueblo Team will ultimately close PCAPP. The Bechtel Pueblo Team is made up of Bechtel National, Inc., Amentum, and Battelle Memorial Institute. [CBRNe](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/cbrne), [Chemical](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/chemical), [Weapons](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/weapons) [![](https://cbrneworld.com/images/events/sponsor_logos/Flir.jpg#thumbnail=%2C&srcset=1)](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1567:flir-captures-18-6-million-order-for-its-centaur-ugvs-for-u-s-marine-corps&catid=12) ## [FLIR Captures $18.6 Million Order for its Centaur UGVs for U.S. Marine Corps](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1567:flir-captures-18-6-million-order-for-its-centaur-ugvs-for-u-s-marine-corps&catid=12) Written by Zoe Rutherford on 03 April 2020. FLIR Systems, Inc. has announced that the U.S. Marine Corps has ordered more than 140 of the company’s [Centaur unmanned ground vehicles (UGV)](https://www.flir.co.uk/products/centaur/), plus spares. The $18.6 million contract is sourced through the Dept. of Defense Man Transportable Robotic System Increment II (MTRS Inc II) program. Earlier this month FLIR announced the U.S Air Force has ordered almost 200 Centaurs through a $23 million contract. Marine Corps Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams will use the FLIR Centaur to assist in disarming improvised explosive devices (IEDs), unexploded ordnance, and similar hazardous tasks. Different sensors and payloads can be added to support a range of missions. “Centaur gives the Marines a multipurpose, mid-sized UGV that will complement the FLIR PackBot, SUGV and FirstLook robots we continue to provide to the Corps,” said David Ray, president of the Government & Defense Technologies business at FLIR. “We’re honored the Air Force and now Marines are choosing [Centaur](https://www.flir.co.uk/products/centaur/) as an EOD platform-of-choice, and pleased the U.S. Army MTRS Inc II program can serve as a procurement channel.” In 2017, the U.S. Army chose Endeavor Robotics, acquired a year ago by FLIR, as its medium-sized robot provider for MTRS Inc II. The company designed the all-new Centaur as its MTRS solution. FLIR is delivering robots to the Army under that multi-year program of record, which upon award was valued at more than $150 million, including options. This latest order falls under the current ceiling. [Centaur](https://www.flir.co.uk/products/centaur/) is a medium-sized UGV that provides a standoff capability to detect, confirm, identify, and dispose of hazards. Weighing roughly 160 pounds, the open-architecture robot features an advanced EO/IR camera suite, a manipulator arm that reaches over six feet, and the ability to climb stairs. Modular payloads can be used for CBRNE detection and other missions. Deliveries are expected to begin in the third quarter of 2020. For more on FLIR Systems’ Unmanned Ground Systems platforms, visit [www.flir.com/UIS/UGS](https://www.flir.co.uk/uis/ugs/). [![](https://cbrneworld.com/templates/yootheme/cache/9b/Train_Logo-9bf2047c.png)](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1563:covid-19-training-from-the-public-health-foundation&catid=12) ## [COVID-19 Training from The Public Health Foundation ](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1563:covid-19-training-from-the-public-health-foundation&catid=12) Written by Zoe Rutherford on 03 April 2020. The Public Health Foundation has set up training related to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), available through the [TRAIN Learning Network](https://www.train.org/main/welcome), a national learning network that aggregates training opportunities for public health, healthcare, and preparedness professionals from thousands of training providers. This includes training from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), World Health Organization, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, and other organizations. The trinaing comprises of webcasts and web based self study modules, each of which has been rated by users, giving you an insight in to what your peers are finding most useful. [Threat](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/threat), [Biological](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/biological), [Training](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/training) [![](https://cbrneworld.com/images/News-Images/BW-Tek-logo.jpg#thumbnail=%2C&srcset=1)](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1562:stram-portable-raman-for-analysis-and-id-through-opaque-barriers&catid=12) ## [STRam Portable Raman for Analysis and ID Through Opaque Barriers](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1562:stram-portable-raman-for-analysis-and-id-through-opaque-barriers&catid=12) Written by Zoe Rutherford on 02 April 2020. The award winning STRam unites a high-throughput spectrometer, specialized sampling optics and advanced algorithms in a portable Raman system to deliver rapid material identification capabilities through a variety of barrier layers and packaging previously impenetrable with Raman. B&W Tek's STRaman technology expands the capability of Raman spectroscopy for through package identification using 785 nm and 1064 nm excitations For full information in STRam had to the website [here](https://solutions.bwtek.com/acton/fs/blocks/showLandingPage/a/8353/p/p-00ce/t/page/fm/0/r/l-24cbb:68/s/l-24cbb?utm_term=Visit%20the%20Site&utm_campaign=B%2526W%20Tek%20April%20Newsletter&utm_content=email&utm_source=Act-On+Software&utm_medium=email&sid=TV2:GHxCpUIra) [Detection](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/detection), [Equipment](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/equipment) [![](https://cbrneworld.com/templates/yootheme/cache/f8/Argon_Logo-f8d9a9d0.jpeg)](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1561:online-product-demo-s-from-argon&catid=12) ## [Online Product Demonstrations from Argon](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1561:online-product-demo-s-from-argon&catid=12) Written by Zoe Rutherford on 01 April 2020. COVID-19 is causing many changes in employment and operational practices across the world, which is resulting in how Argon will be communicating with their customers for product demonstrations. In an effort to ensure they can continue to supprort individuals and agencies Argon will be offering online product demonstrations to anyone who would like to learn about their CBRN training solutions. Beginning April 7th, 2020, at 1 PM (EST), they will be hosting an online product demonstration to anyone who would like to learn more about their products, which can then if desired be followed by more in depth one to one online discussions / demonstrations. Argon will continue to host product demonstrations every Tuesday and Thursday at 1 PM (EST) of each week until this crisis subsides, and travel is again permitted. [![Book your place now](https://cta-image-cms2.hubspot.com/ctas/v2/public/cs/il/?pg=f870a448-f2f9-43b5-bf3a-270c6779cb1b&pid=2533602&ecid=ACsprvs2JScqE7vIqS-HRURf8GYZOgUN5smdfPizcGEenZ59gX6WAtRZoYg6yAdx7jmpT2_VcKwh&hseid=85464729&hsic=false)](https://hubs.ly/H0p5hHL0) Once registered, attendees will be sent login information and instructions for the presentation. [CBRNe](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/cbrne), [Training](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/training) [![](https://cbrneworld.com/templates/yootheme/cache/99/Epiguard_in_action-99930b9f.jpeg)](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1560:epishuttles-to-protect-patients-and-crews&catid=12) ## [EpiShuttles to Protect Patients and Crews](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1560:epishuttles-to-protect-patients-and-crews&catid=12) Written by Zoe Rutherford on 31 March 2020. From next week, two DRF Luftrettung stations in Germany will be using “EpiShuttles”, a special insulation stretcher. Another eight stations are to follow soon. DRF Luftrettung invests in the protection of patients and their crews so that they can continue to help people in medical emergencies as quickly as possible, even in times of the corona virus: as early as next week, two 24-hour stations with insulating straps will be so-called "EpiShuttles". Another eight stations are to follow soon. By using the stretchers, the crews not only save valuable time, but are also optimally protected. In addition, the equipped stations are ready for use again more quickly, since the particularly complex disinfection of the helicopter is not necessary after operations with corona infected people. More and more people need an intensive care ventilation place as quickly as possible, but are currently mostly only transported on the ground, what takes time and can endanger life. Unfortunately, it can be assumed that this need will increase sharply in the coming weeks. “The innovative EpiShuttles allow the patient to be transported like in an isolation station: the person lies under a transparent cover, can be connected to an intensive care ventilator via airtight access and can be monitored and treated at the same time. In this way, we fly patients quickly, absolutely safely and well monitored to a clinic with a free intensive care bed with ventilation. And our crews are even better protected from infection than before and can continue their life-saving missions, ”explains DRF Luftrettung medical director Dr. med. Jörg Braun. The cost of an EpiShuttle is currently around 40,000 euros. “The DRF Luftrettung has decided to invest this important investment in the life and safety for patient and crew and would be very happy if donors and sponsors support this currently so acute measure. In times when every minute is decisive, we want to do everything possible to be there for people and their lives, ”explains Dr. Krystian Pracz, chairman of the board of the DRF Stiftung Luftrettung nonprofit AG, made this extraordinary investment. [Protection](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/protection), [Biological](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/biological) [![](https://cbrneworld.com/templates/yootheme/cache/b9/Greyscan_logo-b9af3b66.jpeg)](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1559:using-the-science-of-trace-detection-to-develop-the-first-mobile-virus-detection-device-tvd-1&catid=12) ## [Using the Science of Trace Detection to Develop the First Mobile Virus Detection Device TVD-1](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1559:using-the-science-of-trace-detection-to-develop-the-first-mobile-virus-detection-device-tvd-1&catid=12) Written by Zoe Rutherford on 31 March 2020. GreyScan's Explosive Trace Device, the ETD-100, is a result of research by leading international Universities and scientists and forward thinking investors ($25M investment to date). The ETD-100 was deployed globally in 2020 to find trace substances, preventing a host of terrorist attacks. To GreyScan, the COVID-19 virus is just another threat that can be detected, addressed, and prevented during a major international crisis. GreyScan is in the process of developing the TVD-1, using our proven technology platform to rapidly, reliably, and accurately detect the COVID-19 virus at the point of risk to human health. We believe this device will be the first in our line of products that will be able to detect surface viruses as they evolve and spread throughout the globe. [Detection](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/detection), [Biological](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/biological) [![](https://cbrneworld.com/images/News-Images/Abbott_Laboratories_Logo_black.png#thumbnail=%2C&srcset=1)](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1558:abbott-launches-molecular-poc-test-to-detect-novel-coronavirus-in-as-little-as-5-minutes&catid=12) ## [Abbott Launches Molecular POC Test to Detect Novel Coronavirus in as Little as 5 Minutes](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1558:abbott-launches-molecular-poc-test-to-detect-novel-coronavirus-in-as-little-as-5-minutes&catid=12) Written by Zoe Rutherford on 31 March 2020. Abbott has announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for the fastest available molecular point-of-care test for the detection of novel coronavirus (COVID-19), delivering positive results in as little as five minutes and negative results in 13 minutes. The testwill run on the company's ID NOW™ platform, providing rapid results in a wide range ofhealthcare settings such as physicians' offices, urgent care clinics and hospital emergencydepartments.The ID NOW platform is small, lightweight (6.6 pounds) and portable (the size of a small toaster), and uses molecular technology, which is valued by clinicians and the scientific community for itshigh degree of accuracy. ID NOW is already the most widely available molecular point-of-caretesting platform in the U.S. today. "The COVID-19 pandemic will be fought on multiple fronts, and a portable molecular test thatoffers results in minutes adds to the broad range of diagnostic solutions needed to combat thisvirus," said Robert B. Ford, president and chief operating officer, Abbott. "With rapid testing on ID NOW, healthcare providers can perform molecular point-of-care testing outside the traditionalfour walls of a hospital in outbreak hotspots."Abbott will be making ID NOW COVID-19 tests available next week to healthcare providers inurgent care settings in the U.S., where the majority of ID NOW instruments are in use today. The company is working with the Administration to deploy tests to areas where they can have thegreatest impact. The arrival of the Abbott ID NOW COVID-19 test comes a week after the company launched itsAbbott m2000™ RealTime SARS-CoV-2 EUA test, which runs on the m2000™ RealTime Systemlocated in hospital and reference labs around the world. Between the two platforms, Abbott expectsto produce about 5 million tests per month.About the ID NOW™ Molecular PlatformAs the world leader in point-of-care diagnostics, Abbott is adding its expertise and scale to helpfight the COVID-19 global pandemic. First introduced in 2014, ID NOW is the leading molecularpoint-of-care platform for Influenza A & B, Strep A and RSV testing in the U.S. ID NOW is a rapid, instrument-based, isothermal system for the qualitative detection of infectiousdiseases. Its unique isothermal nucleic acid amplification technology provides molecular results injust minutes, allowing clinicians to make evidence-based clinical decisions during a patient visit. [Detection](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/detection), [Biological](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/biological) [![](https://cbrneworld.com/images/News-Images/Biobeat_logo.jpg#thumbnail=%2C&srcset=1)](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1557:biobeat-already-integrated-into-14-israeli-isolation-departments-for-covid-19-patients&catid=12) ## [Biobeat already integrated into 14 Israeli isolation departments for COVID-19 patients](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1557:biobeat-already-integrated-into-14-israeli-isolation-departments-for-covid-19-patients&catid=12) Written by Zoe Rutherford on 30 March 2020. Biobeat, an end-to-end medical grade monitoring system for the management of patients and individuals from a distance is currently being utilised in 14 Israeli hospitals as the main monitoring solution in COVID-19 isolation units as part of the effort by the Israeli Ministry of Health to combat the pandemic. Biobeat’s hospital solution comprises of their patented monitoring patch. The patch connects to the patient and monitors all major vitals including blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, and skin temperature, as well as having the ability to provide one lead ECG readings. The patch is a disposable, hospital-oriented product designed for single patient use to avoid transmission of diseases, it has a separate sticker and sensor capsule for easy removal and replacement with a battery life of up to 8 days. The Biobeat patch reduces direct contact between caregivers and exposed individuals/patients, while providing all monitoring needs including customizable alerts and historical trend view of each vital sign. The patch links to Biobeat’s monitoring app, allowing medical staff easy monitoring of vital signs at a distance. The system is cloud based meaning it is accessible from any web platform, no need to purchase specialist software, medical staff can use the app’s ‘smart alert’ system to set customisable thresholds for each vital sign and each patient. The system also allows the user to create a department dashboard and monitor all of their patients wearing the patch from one screen. The system can also be integrated with existing systems allowing for data to be transferred directly to patients electronic medical records. In a time when hospitals are being overwhelmed with an influx of seriously ill patients suffering from Coronavirus infection, and who need constant monitoring, Biobeat provides a solution where monitoring needs can be met whilst also reducing the risk of infection to health care workers, an issue that has been increasing as the virus spreads. With some hospitals being unable to take in any more patients Biobeat are currently working with Israeli EMS and hospitals to allow home hospitalisation of patients using the Biobeat Patch and Wrist Device, this will hopefully reduce some of the strain on hospitals but still allow those who need some form of medical monitoring the watchful eye they need and peace of mind. For more information on Biobeat Medical Smartmonitoring Systems visit [](http://www.bio-beat.com/) [Equipment](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/equipment), [Protection](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/protection), [Biological](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/biological) [![](https://cbrneworld.com/images/News-Images/Aircraft_Carrier.jpg#thumbnail=%2C&srcset=1)](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1556:aircraft-carrier-outbreak-sends-troops-scrambling&catid=12) ## [ Aircraft Carrier Outbreak Sends Troops Scrambling](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1556:aircraft-carrier-outbreak-sends-troops-scrambling&catid=12) Written by Zoe Rutherford on 27 March 2020. Story from Daily Beast U.S. Navy and Marine Corps service members in Guam were ordered on Wednesday to break their own quarantine to set up makeshift shelters for U.S. troops coming off a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, where an outbreak of the novel coronavirus is rapidly spreading within the hulls of the ship. Some of the U.S. troops at Naval Base Guam, located on the western side of the U.S. territory at Apra Harbor, were assembled into 100-man working parties to begin transforming some of the base’s facilities into temporary quarantine shelters for some of the 5,000 service members arriving from the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, a naval vessel where COVID-19 is spreading. “We found several more cases aboard the ship, we are in the process now of testing 100 percent of the crew of that ship to ensure that we are able to contain whatever spread that might have occurred there... but I also want to emphasize that the ship is operationally capable and can do its mission if required,” said Acting Navy Secretary Thomas B. Modly at the Pentagon on Thursday. U.S. Navy officials told The Daily Beast that 23 sailors onboard the Roosevelt tested positive for COVID-19 and that testing capabilities for the coronavirus are limited. *The Wall Street Journal* first reported the latest figures on Thursday. In total, the Navy has 133 confirmed cases of COVID-19, 104 of which are active-duty. One U.S. service member assigned to the working parties in Guam, who asked not to be named, told The Daily Beast that some troops are afraid they will contract the coronavirus from crew members arriving from the Roosevelt. The service member added, “We’re fucked.” At a virtual town hall held from the Pentagon on Tuesday and streamed to Facebook live, Defense Secretary Mark Esper cautioned troops from holding mass troop formations and urged both service members and commanders to follow the guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But in Guam on Wednesday, both Navy and Marine Corps service members set up roughly 140 military beds in a basketball gymnasium. To squeeze more troops into the gym, Navy medical professionals recommended measuring the six-foot distance per guidance from the CDC from the center of the bed rather than from the outer edges, meaning that the beds are actually three feet apart. The CDC also suggests avoiding mass gatherings as a part of its social distancing guidelines. Meanwhile, soldiers from the 1st Brigade Combat Team of the 82nd Airborne Division are adjusting to the frustration of being stuck in Kuwait for a deployment now extended due to Esper’s new order preventing troops overseas from coming home for another 60 days. They were the ones sent to the Mideast to deter Iran after December’s violent escalation. “This wasn’t a normal deployment. It was truly no notice. Dudes’ lives are in a shit place back home because of how fast we had to leave,” one soldier from the brigade said. Meanwhile, in Kuwait, the 1st Brigade of the Army’s 82nd Airborne hasn’t seen any outbreak thus far. One symptomatic soldier was kept in isolation recently, but his test came back negative. [Biological](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/biological) [![](https://cbrneworld.com/templates/yootheme/cache/26/IAEA_Logo-2628bf99.jpeg)](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1555:nuclear-scientists-are-working-on-faster-cheaper-covid-19-test&catid=12) ## [Nuclear Scientists Are Working on Faster, Cheaper Covid-19 Test](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1555:nuclear-scientists-are-working-on-faster-cheaper-covid-19-test&catid=12) Written by Zoe Rutherford on 27 March 2020. Story from Bloomburg Nuclear scientists in Austria are closing in on coronavirus testing kits that could dramatically lower the cost and time it takes to diagnose people for the disease. With Covid-19 tests in short supply in many places, some individuals have turned to private laboratories that can genetically detect the pathogen. That process, called reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, or RT-PCR, can cost as much as $400 in some [private facilities](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-03-16/ten-minute-coronavirus-test-could-be-game-changer-for-africa). But the [International Atomic Energy Agency](https://www.bloomberg.com/quote/3246895Z:AV) expects it can procure those Covid-19 tests at a cost of as little as 10 euros ($10.83), which can yield a diagnosis within hours, according to a spokesperson, who stressed that labs have been using RT-PCR diagnosis methods for decades. The IAEA’s Covid-19 detection kits are close to being shipped, according to the agency, which didn’t specify where they are being manufactured. While the IAEA’s individual tests may top out at 15 euros a person, countries will still need laboratories to process results. Setting up a new facility from scratch can cost as much as 100,000 euros, according to the agency. The [IAEA’s lab](https://www.iaea.org/about/organizational-structure/department-of-nuclear-sciences-and-applications/seibersdorf-laboratories) outside Vienna has previously developed kits testing for Ebola, Zika and African Swine Fever. More than 75 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America have now asked the agency’s scientists for diagnostic help, up from just 14 nations on March 9. The effort drew an extra $5 million of funding on Tuesday from the [U.S. State Department](https://www.bloomberg.com/quote/0251349Z:US). The work of IAEA scientists at labs in Seibersdorf, Austria goes beyond nuclear power. They use atomic techniques at the behest of members to improve healthcare, agricultural yields and combat pests. The RT-PCR tests they’ve developed initially used radioactive isotope markers to detect the presence of specific genetic material from a virus. Subsequent refining of the method has led to the use of fluorescent markers for screening. “If you know what is out there ahead of time, you have time to proactively prepare, either by developing vaccines or increasing your capacity for diagnosis and detection,” said IAEA scientists [Gerrit Viljoen](https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/pressreleases/iaea-to-support-countries-in-the-detection-of-novel-coronavirus) earlier this month. The ability to test Covid-19 is seen as a key variable in restricting its spread. Diagnosis has proliferated in some countries like Germany and South Korea, while lagging behind in others including Italy and parts of the U.S. [Detection](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/detection), [Biological](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/biological) [![](https://cbrneworld.com/images/events/sponsor_logos/BioFire_NEW_logo.jpg#thumbnail=%2C&srcset=1)](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1554:biomerieux-receives-emergency-use-authorization-for-biofire-covid-19-test&catid=12) ## [bioMérieux receives Emergency Use Authorization for BIOFIRE COVID-19 test](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1554:biomerieux-receives-emergency-use-authorization-for-biofire-covid-19-test&catid=12) Written by Zoe Rutherford on 26 March 2020. bioMérieux, a world leader in the field of in vitro diagnostics, today announced that its subsidiary, BioFire Defense, has received Emergency Use Authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration of its BIOFIRE COVID-19 test for use in CLIA moderate and high complexity clinical laboratories to detect SARS-CoV-2. [Detection](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/detection), [Threat](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/threat), [Biological](https://cbrneworld.com/component/tags/tag/biological) [Read more …bioMérieux receives Emergency Use Authorization for BIOFIRE COVID-19 test](https://cbrneworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1554:biomerieux-receives-emergency-use-authorization-for-biofire-covid-19-test&catid=12) ## Schema ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "News", "item": "https://cbrneworld.com/news" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Subscribers", "item": "https://cbrneworld.com/news/subscribers" } ] } ```