COVID-19 mass testing and sequencing: Experiences from a laboratory in Western Kenya

The Basic Science Laboratory (BSL) of the Kenya Medical Research Institute/Walter Reed Project in Kisumu, Kenya addressed mass testing challenges posed by the emergent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in an environment of global supply shortages. Before COVID-19, the BSL had adequate resources for disease surveillance and was therefore designated as one of the testing centres for COVID-19.

By April 2020, the BSL had developed stringent safety procedures for receiving and mass testing potentially infectious nasal specimens. To accommodate increased demand, BSL personnel worked in units: nucleic acid extraction, polymerase chain reaction, and data and quality assurance checks. The BSL adopted procedures for tracking sample integrity and minimising cross-contamination.

Between May 2020 and January 2022, the BSL tested 63 542 samples, of which 5375 (8.59%) were positive for COVID-19; 1034 genomes were generated by whole genome sequencing and deposited in the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data database to aid global tracking of viral lineages. At the height of the pandemic (August and November 2020, April and August 2021 and January 2022), the BSL was testing more than 500 samples daily, compared to 150 per month prior to COVID-19. An important lesson from the COVID-19 pandemic was the discovery of untapped resilience within BSL personnel that allowed adaptability when the situation demanded. Strict safety procedures and quality management that are often difficult to maintain became routine.

A fundamental lesson to embrace is that there is no 'one-size-fits-all' approach and adaptability is the key to success.