Public Health Lab reopens today

The Public Health Laboratory in downtown Kingston, which closed its doors early yesterday after noxious odour was detected on the fourth floor of the building, is expected to be reopened to the public today.

Director of the National Laboratory Services Dr Angela Scott told The Gleaner yesterday that employees were sent home after the offensive odour began spreading to the fifth floor.

"Having gone through the building, they did not find anything untoward. The issue of it being possibly coming from the environment was entertained. The fire chief recommended that we open up the building in an abundance of caution. We advised the staff not to re-enter until we could ascertain that the odour that was initially there was gone."

The National Public Health Laboratory - Jamaica's primary government agency for laboratory services - plays a central role in monitoring public health conditions and national disaster responses.