While combatting COVID-19 cases, one of the biggest challenges medical practitioners across the world faced was the time it took for them to confirm the presence of the coronavirus in a patient¡¯s body.?Today this coronavirus has infected over 209,000 people and claimed lives of over 8000.
Initial test methods took days before doctors got the results. However, newer tests brought this down to one day and now, researchers have found a novel method of testing that delivers results in just 30 minutes.
According to Professor Wei Huang of Oxford University, said in a statement, ¡°The beauty of this new test lies in the design of the viral detection that can specifically recognize SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) RNA and RNA fragments. The test has built-in checks to prevent false positives or negatives and the results have been highly accurate.¡±
Early detection of COVID-19 cases is crucial, not just for treating the patient better, but with this, authorities can take speedy measures in locking down places from where the infected person surfaced, to prevent it from spreading onto more people -- a challenge medical practitioners are even facing today.?
The test is touted to be very sensitive as it is capable of detecting COVID-19 in very early stages -- a boon for people for whom the infection can be very risky -- people of old age, or compromised immunity, among others and commence necessary treatment in time for a speedy recovery.
While the test is good to be rolled out to the world, researchers are working on developing an integrated device that can be easily used by doctors and patients. There is no timeline as of now for the availability of this test.?
For now, stating in self-isolation and maintaining proper hygiene is the safest way to go, at least until we get some medication or vaccine that works against the novel Coronavirus.