Harbin animal lab certified for research into deadly diseases

China has certified a new laboratory in Harbin, Northeast China’s Heilongjiang Province to test some of the world’s most dangerous viruses – ebola, lassa fever and avian influenza – on animals.

The ABSL-4 laboratory, one of only four such laboratories in the world, was approved by the China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment, Science and Technology Daily reported Wednesday.

The laboratory was certified in July, according to the report.

Some of the world’s most dangerous viruses – ebola, lassa fever and avian influenza – will be researched at the domestically designed, built and operated lab, according to the official website of Harbin Veterinary Research Institute affiliated to the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences.

Mice, monkeys, pigs and chickens are among the animals that will be experimented on in the laboratory.

Approved in 2004, the lab’s construction began in 2012 when its design was completed. In December 2015, the buildings were finished and passed the quality test.

The national high-level biosafety laboratory will actively cooperate with other research institutions to carry out cooperative research on prevention and control of severe infectious diseases, the report said.