Coronavirus testing device made in Switzerland damaged en route to Israel

The only other healthcare provider in Israel with a similar testing device is Leumit Healthcare Services, who acquired this device well before the coronavirus outbreak, according to the report.

By ZACHARY KEYSER
The Hoffman-La Roche facility in Switzerland (photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)
The Hoffman-La Roche facility in Switzerland
(photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)
A coronavirus testing device made in Switzerland that apparently has the potential to give diagnostic results for up to 1,440 samples per day was damaged before it made its way to Tel Aviv's Ichilov Hospital, according to Haaretz.
According to the report, the equipment was damaged en route to Israel, however, it is not known whether the damaged occurred before its landing in Israel or once removed from the plane. It was noted, that the equipment was most likely dropped - making it unusable and beyond repair.
The Series 6800 coronavirus diagnostic testing machine, made by Hoffman-La Roche and part of the Roche Diagnostic Cobas apparatuses series, is currently being implemented in countries around the globe as the Swiss manufacturer has been working double-time to get these products into the hands of healthcare professionals - giving hospitals around the world a better fighting chance to take the coronavirus spread head on, wherever they may be.
Gamidor Diagnostics, the Israeli branch of Hoffman-La Roche, said that since the machinery was damaged beyond repair upon arrival, the Swiss company will be shipping two Series 6800 diagnostic testing devices to Israel in its stead within the next week,  Haaretz reported.
The only other healthcare provider in Israel with a similar testing device is Leumit Healthcare Services, which acquired this device well before the coronavirus outbreak, according to the report.
Currently, there are 11,145 people in Israel who have contracted the coronavirus, including 183 in serious condition, according to the Health Ministry.
Sixty tons of medical protective gear was ordered from China last week, and was en route to Israel on Sunday – the first of five cargo aircraft that will land in the country in the coming days. In total, approximately 12 million surgical masks, 1.3 million N95 respiratory masks and 1.2 million protective suits produced in China by the Israeli firm Sion Medical should arrive in the country.
Maayan Jaffe-Hoffman contributed to this report.