Manitoba

More than 1,000 tour Winnipeg's National Microbiology Lab

More than 1,000 people walked through the doors of the National Microbiology Lab in Winnipeg on Saturday to get a glimpse of the facility that tests specimens of suspected Ebola cases.

Lab Ebola research, growing public health concerns responsible for large draw, say lab officials

Public welcomed inside Winnipeg Ebola lab

10 years ago
Duration 1:36
Members of the public were welcomed into a specialized lab in Winnipeg on Saturday to get a better idea of what is being done and why they shouldn't worry

More than 1,000 people walked through the doors of the National Microbiology Lab in Winnipeg on Saturday to get a glimpse of the facility that tests specimens of suspected Ebola cases.

Saturday was all about assuring the public about the facility's security. The last time the lab had an open house was five years ago, and the turnout at that time was nothing like it was Saturday.
The public got a glimpse of the equipment used at the National Microbiology Lab in Winnipeg as part of an open house on Saturday.

Officials with the lab said the growing concerns about Ebola helped draw larger crowds this time around. 

While officials said that while Ebola is getting most of the headlines right now, scientists at the lab conduct broad research with bugs from all over the world, especially now as flu season begins.

The public was allowed into the lab shortly after the World Health Organization announced it will be shipping the experimental Canadian Ebola vaccine on Monday. According to the WHO, between 800 and 1,000 vials of the vaccine will be shipped to the University Hospital of Geneva.

Clinical trials on the vaccine are expected to start late October or early November.