Scientists discover coronavirus test that produces result in just 30 minutes

A NEW test that can diagnose Covid-19 in just 30 minutes by analysing urine, blood or saliva has been identified by scientists.

The method finds genetic material from the virus and was successfully used to detect Zika and Ebola.

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Led by Laura Lamb, of Beaumont Health, a healthcare system in Michigan, US, the researchers said the main aim of their study was to look for a rapid screening diagnostic test.

According to the team, the new technique is less expensive, has fewer barriers, and is faster than the testing method that is currently being used around the world to detect the Sars-Cov-2 virus (the strain of coronavirus that causes COVID-19) in patients.

The team conducted tests on simulated patient samples, which involved spiking dummy specimens with genetic material from the virus.

The samples were tested using the new method as well as by conventional the current one.

The new test method was found to detect Sars-CoV-2 in all the dummy samples in within 30 to 45 minutes.

But Dr Robert Shorten, of the Association for Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine, said there were limitations to the technology.

He said: “It generated false positives in negative samples. This may be due to cross-reactivity with other viruses or contamination.”

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