Mr. Speaker, in response to part (a) of the question, the Public Health Agency of Canada, or PHAC, has 457 GeneXpert Systems, some of which were received on behalf of Indigenous Services Canada, or ISC; 260 of these systems have been deployed by PHAC.
In terms of Part (b), the vast majority of GeneXpert Systems distributed by PHAC are currently being utilized for respiratory virus testing, in other words for SARS-CoV-2, Influenza A, Influenza B and Respiratory Syncytial Virus. Additionally, pilots are under way for community-based testing for tuberculosis and for sexually transmitted and blood borne infections, or STBBIs, at three sites.
With regard to part (c), the GeneXpert Systems were purchased for use during the COVID-19 pandemic for respiratory virus testing. PHAC is currently investigating their capability for other pathogens.
As for part (d), PHAC is currently exploring the feasibility of using the GeneXpert Systems for HIV and Hepatitis C testing. However, neither of the HIV and Hepatitis C tests for these systems have been approved for use in Canada.
Future plans will depend on the results of the pilots currently under way.