Israel inks deal with Chinese firm to buy equipment allowing 12K tests per day

Israel has signed a deal with BGI that will see the Chinese firm send lab equipment to Israel by the end of next week, allowing the Jewish state to initially conduct roughly 12,000 tests per day, the Foreign Ministry announces.

Once established, the BGI equipment will expand its scope to perform as many as 20,000 tests per day.

The tests will be performed in Israel by Israeli companies selected by the Health Ministry.

Earlier this month, the Health Ministry said Israel signed a NIS 90 million ($25 million) deal with BGI to purchase the special equipment but proceedings evidently stalled.

The new tests are PCR tests — polymerase chain reaction tests — which directly detect viral nucleic acids. Some tests detect the body’s antibodies to the virus.

BGI’s tests have been used widely in China, and are being distributed to over 50 other countries and regions, the firm said. Results from the tests are available three hours after they are administered.

But according to a Channel 12 report earlier this month, Israel’s largest HMO has refused to work with the firm over concerns BGI and the Chinese government could gain access to sensitive information on its 4.9 million customers, including on their DNA.