Ginkgo Bioworks, MoH of Botswana pathogen monitoring program at key ports

Ginkgo Bioworks and the Ministry of Health representing the Government of the Republic of Botswana, announced a pathogen monitoring program at key ports of entry to identify new and emerging variants of SARS-CoV-2. Through this program, Ginkgo’s biosecurity and public health unit, Concentric by Ginkgo, will collaborate with the MoH to monitor wastewater and nasal swab samples collected on a voluntary, anonymous basis from arriving international travelers for SARS-CoV-2 surveillance. Ginkgo and the MoH will work together to establish Sir Seretse Khama International Airport as a new node in a global network of pathogen monitoring infrastructure, complementing the insights generated from Concentric’s existing travel biosecurity programs at several major international airports. The program builds on Ginkgo’s previously announced MOU to develop and implement biosecurity capabilities in Botswana, and will also incorporate pathogen monitoring at land borders, at municipal wastewater treatment works, and for livestock in the food system.