Biosecurity

Russia scientists invent 15-minute portable coronavirus test device

A Russian company has developed an express coronavirus test device that provides the result in only 15 minutes, the National Technical Initiative announced Wednesday. The new method undergoes final tests and the device might be presented to the public this autumn.

The device uses the isothermal polymerase chain reaction. To perform the analysis, a mucous sample from the nose or the throat, says the Initiative, who assisted the Medical Biological Union (MBU) Company in creation of the device.

In early February, South China Morning Post reported that Chinese doctors began using a portable device, capable of diagnosing the 2019-nCoV (COVID-19), coronavirus in 40 minutes. In early March, Russian scientists reported that they created a device, capable of diagnosing the coronavirus in 1.5 hours.

The Chinese authorities registered an outbreak of the novel coronavirus in the city of Wuhan. Cases of novel coronavirus were confirmed in more than 100 other countries, including in Russia. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the coronavirus outbreak a public health emergency of international concern. Outside of China, most cases of the new coronavirus were reported in South Korea, Iran and Italy.