June 2026: WHO Global Event on Diagnostic Testing for Ebola Disease
On Friday, 12 June, our WHO Collaborating Centre on Laboratory Preparedness and Response to High-Threat Pathogens and Biorisk participated in a global WHO event titled “Diagnostic Testing for Ebola Disease.” Colleague Jerome Lock-Wah-Hoon represented the team as a panellist and delivered a presentation on “Mitigation of Ebola Hazards in Diagnostic Laboratories.” His talk was developed with support from RIVM colleagues Robert-Jan ten Hove and Joris Sprokholt and focused specifically on biosafety and biosecurity considerations and sample referral processes in Ebola diagnostic workflows.
The event addressed various aspects of diagnostic testing for Ebola disease, with particular attention to cases caused by the Bundibugyo virus, which is driving the current outbreak. Panel discussions explored testing strategies, biosafety and biosecurity, implementation of testing protocols, and scaling up diagnostic capacities. The presentation of RIVM highlighted:
- Biosafety and biosecurity for central nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT) workflows:
- Risk-based approach; essential Standard Operating Procedures set and staff competence requirements
- Handling non-inactivated specimens: Class III glovebox/Biosafety cabinets; Class II with additional personal Protective Equipment as contingency per risk assessment
- Inactivation principles and safe downstream processing; disinfectants and avoiding NAAT inhibition
- Waste management
- Biosecurity: access control, chain-of-custody/sample tracking, secure sample and data storage, incident reporting
- The availability of additional online training courses on this topic via the RIVM website on Global Health Security
Our participation was in response to a WHO request to our Collaborating Centre, initially organised by WHO EURO following inquiries from European countries on preparedness for Ebola diagnostic testing. Due to high interest from other WHO regions, the event was expanded to WHO Headquarters and opened to participants globally. Over 1,000 registrations were received, reflecting the urgent relevance of the topic.
The event was organised at short notice, with the agenda developed collaboratively by our team. RIVM is proud to contribute expertise to the global response to Ebola disease and to support WHO efforts in strengthening diagnostic capacities and laboratory safety.
November 2025: Strengthening Laboratory Systems to advance Laboratory Preparedness in Armenia
From 6 to 12 November, experts from the WHO Collaborating Centre for Laboratory Preparedness and Response for High Threat Pathogens and Biorisk, collaborated with a WHO/Europe expert and Armenia’s National Center for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) in a mission in Yerevan, Armenia. The mission focused on reviewing and refining diagnostic algorithms for high-risk zoonotic infections. Strengthening laboratory systems is essential for early detection and effective response to high-risk zoonotic diseases.
The initiative brought together laboratory specialists, epidemiologists, and infectious disease experts, to align Armenia’s national practices with international standards and further improve accuracy, speed, and quality of laboratory diagnostics. RIVM supported the mission with experts in the field of high-threat bacteria serology and molecular detection, and laboratory workflows for diagnostics and laboratory surveillance. The collaboration and support will be further explored including focus on high threat and emerging viruses.
By optimising test selection, differentiating between acute and chronic disease stages, and reducing unnecessary procedures, Armenia is making considerable progress towards a more efficient and resilient public health system. RIVM is proud to have contributed to this collaboration and appreciates the warm welcome and support by the Armenian NCDC.
July 2025: WHO Webinar on Q Fever
The WHO Country Office in Bulgaria and the Bulgarian Ministry of Health recently requested that our WHO Collaborating Centre for Laboratory Preparedness and Response for High Threat Pathogens and Biorisk hold a webinar on Q fever. The event was part of WHO/Europe’s Better Labs for Better Health initiative, which aims to strengthen laboratory systems and public health preparedness across the region. Read more in this LinkedIn post.
July 2024: Launch of eLearning course “Fundamentals of laboratory biosafety”
On Wednesday, 3 July, WHO hosted the webinar titled “Online learning and tools for biosafety practices improvement”. It coincided with the recently published WHO Laboratory Biosecurity Guidance. The webinar is part of the Public Health Webinar Series that aims to enhance WHO guidance dissemination, enhance peer to peer exchanges and knowledge sharing, and improve WHO’s understanding of barriers to guidance and best practices implementation.
Different learning tools and modalities that can be used to strengthen workforce capacities on laboratory practices and biosafety were the focus of the webinar. In particular, Saskia Rutjes, coordinator of RIVM’s WHO Collaborating Centre for Laboratory Preparedness and Response for High Threat Pathogens and Biorisk was invited to speak at the webinar. Saskia spoke about the recently developed LBM4-based eLearning course on “Fundamentals of laboratory biosafety” produced by the WHO CC team. The eLearning is based on the WHO Laboratory Biosafety Manual 4th edition and is available in English and Russian. The training is developed to provide learners with a risk-based approach to biosafety, and a certificate is awarded upon successful course completion.
Saskia’s presentation generated a lot of interest, and many people asked where to access the e-learning hosted by the WHO CC. The webinar was successful in reaching a large audience with over 720 participants from over 150 countries joining online. The e-learning is available online.
26-27 March 2024: Launch CoViNet
WHO has launched a new network for coronaviruses, CoViNet. The network aims to facilitate and coordinate global expertise and capacities for early and accurate detection, monitoring and assessment of SARS-CoV-2, MERS-CoV and novel coronaviruses of public health importance. CoViNet expands on the WHO COVID-19 reference laboratory network established during the early days of the pandemic. Initially, the lab network was focused on SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, but will now address a broader range of coronaviruses. CoViNet is a network of global laboratories with expertise in human, animal and environmental coronavirus surveillance. The network currently includes 36 laboratories from 21 countries in all 6 WHO regions. At the kick-off, RIVM met other laboratories to work on an action plan for 2024-2025 so that WHO Member States are better equipped for early detection, risk assessment, and response to coronavirus-related health challenges. Read the news item about the CoViNet launch.
September 2022
RIVM has been designated WHO Collaborating Centre for Laboratory Preparedness and Response for High Threat Pathogens and Biorisk by the World Health Organization (WHO). It is the first WHO Collaborating Centre that combines laboratory preparedness and biorisk. The new WHO Collaborating Centre will assist WHO in building national capacity in member states while ensuring biosafety and biosecurity in biomedical laboratories. At the request of the WHO, it will also provide ad hoc expert advice and technical laboratory support where needed. More information in this news item.