The UK developed a rapid breath test that detects COVID-19 in just seconds. Its accuracy is estimated at 80 percent. It is currently being tested in Great Britain and Germany.
Experts from the Welsh company Imspex Diagnostics say that their breathing test will also assess the severity of COVID-19 disease and be able to distinguish it from other diseases and respiratory infections. It can be most useful in hospitals and public transport, such as airports.
The medical journal “Lancet” informs that the rapid breath test that detects COVID-19 is tested in studies conducted in Edinburgh, Great Britain, and in Dortmund, Germany. If the company that developed it receives financial aid, it can be put into use within six months. One of the developers of the Santi Dominguez test ensures that it will be easy to use and will not require special training.
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Breathing tests to detect various types of diseases, including, in particular, respiratory diseases, have been developed for many years. Attempts are made to use them, for example, to detect lung cancer and diabetes. They work similarly to a breathalyzer for checking drivers’ sobriety.
The Welsh company Imspex Diagnostics has also previously conducted research on such tests. When the epidemic broke out, it was decided to develop a breath test to detect COVID-19.
The test works by detecting volatile chemicals that are formed in the exhaled air of patients with COVID-19. The test is precise enough to distinguish this disease from other respiratory infections of bacterial and viral origin, as well as from asthma.
BBC News reports that according to Loughborough University specialists who manage the research checking the effectiveness of the test, its credibility is estimated at 80 percent. Specialists in Edinburgh say they have detected volatile chemicals that are likely to assess the severity of COVID-19 disease, and even how high the risk of death is.
However, COVID-19 breath test studies are still conducted on a small group of 100 people. The technology also needs to be refined to make the tests easy to use.
Source: polskiobserwator.de