Foshan, China, 4 June 2021 — In rapid response to the recent resurgence of COVID-19 in Foshan, Guangdong province, MGI urgently delivered two Fast Setup Modular Negative Pressure Labs (MGIFLP-HWRS) to Chancheng District to increase local nucleic acid testing capacity.
Many MGI staff members who had just completed construction of the Huo-Yan Laboratory in Yantian, Shenzhen, travelled overnight to Foshan to provide immediate support.
The Foshan Huo-Yan Laboratory was installed in just 4.5 hours, setting a new speed record for laboratory deployment and enabling testing operations to begin the same day.
Rapid Deployment of the Foshan Huo-Yan Laboratory
On 4 June, two mobile MGIFLP-HWRS laboratories were installed and operational within 4.5 hours. The rapid deployment was made possible by dedicated on-site teams working continuously to complete construction and prepare the facility for use.
Once operational, the laboratory can process up to 600,000 samples per day using batch sample pooling, or up to 60,000 samples per day when testing individual samples, representing the highest daily testing capacity achieved in Foshan to date.
The MGIFLP-HWRS laboratory is designed specifically for large-scale population testing during COVID-19 outbreak control and prevention. The modular tent structure allows rapid assembly and adaptation to different testing needs. With strong environmental adaptability and high flexibility, the laboratory can be installed within hours, with equipment fully commissioned and operational within 12 hours. In Foshan, this process was completed in just 4.5 hours.
MGI Engineers Installing and Commissioning Equipment
High-Efficiency Automation Boosts Testing Capacity
MGI’s three automated systems serve as the core equipment of the Huo-Yan laboratory:
MGISP-NE384 High-Throughput Automated Nucleic Acid Extractor
MGISP-960 High-Throughput Automated Sample Preparation System
MGISTP-7000 High-Throughput Automated Sample Transfer Processing System
These systems have been widely used during the COVID-19 response to improve testing efficiency and laboratory safety.
The Foshan Huo-Yan laboratory is equipped with seven MGISP-NE384 units, thirteen MGISTP-7000 systems and six MGISP-960 platforms. Together, these systems form the Huo-Yan Lab labour-saving solution, which standardises testing workflows, increases throughput and creates a safer working environment for laboratory staff.
MGISP-NE384 High-Throughput Automated Nucleic Acid Extractor
Extraction of viral nucleic acid is a critical step in COVID-19 testing. The MGISP-NE384 was among the first fully automated nucleic acid extraction systems deployed on the front line of the pandemic response. A single unit can process up to 10,000 samples per day, significantly accelerating the testing process.
MGISTP-7000 High-Throughput Automated Sample Transfer Processing System
The MGISTP-7000 system automates barcode scanning, information verification and liquid transfer with a single command. This automation allows laboratory technicians to avoid direct contact with COVID-19 samples, improving safety.
The system can transfer 192 samples from airtight sample tubes or standard tubes to 96-well microplates in approximately 40 minutes. By automating one of the most labour-intensive steps of sample preparation, the system reduces workload while lowering the risk of infection for laboratory personnel.
MGISP-960 High-Throughput Automated Sample Preparation System
The MGISP-960 can process 192 samples in approximately 80 minutes and is well suited for medium- to high-throughput laboratories, including hospitals, companies and emergency testing centres. A single technician can operate up to three units simultaneously, greatly improving testing efficiency.
During the nationwide COVID-19 response in China, MGISP-960 automated sample preparation systems have supported outbreak control efforts in more than 30 cities and regions.
Supporting Large-Scale COVID-19 Testing
In response to the recent resurgence of COVID-19 in Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Foshan, MGI’s automated systems have supported the rapid deployment of Huo-Yan laboratories across the region.
With pooled sampling strategies, Huo-Yan laboratories in Guangzhou can process up to 1.5 million samples per day using 10-sample pooling. In Shenzhen, Huo-Yan laboratories can process approximately 300,000 samples per day using five-sample pooling.
Beyond China, Huo-Yan laboratory solutions equipped with MGI’s automated PCR extraction systems have supported COVID-19 testing in more than 50 countries and regions, including Sweden, the United Arab Emirates, Canada, Serbia and Australia, contributing to global pandemic response efforts.
