New 5 minute corona virus test delivers clear results on infection
A consortium of scientists and companies is developing a new 5 minute test for the SARS corona virus. In comparison to currently available rapid tests, the SARS-CoV-2 MEMS 5 Minute Test™ directly detects the virus over the entire course of the infection and can be read immediately, without the need for a laboratory.
The Digid Cantisense™ SARS-CoV-2 Test is created as a pocket size lab and can be used in four steps anywhere on site by general practitioners, paramedics and nursing staff without any training. Digid Cantisense™ SARS-CoV-2 Test provides test results with greater accuracy at any point during the course of the infection than previously available rapid test strips. The first prototypes of the biosensor will be available by end of April with first production devices by mid-May.
Compared to previously known rapid tests looking for the presence of antibodies in the test-liquid, the Digid Cantisense™ SARS-CoV-2 Test leads to a clear “YES” or “NO” result regarding the presence of the actual virus in the test fluid and eliminates the time- and cost consuming transport of samples to a laboratory.
The new digital diagnostic platform enables the rapid testing of millions of people and real-time monitoring of the disease spreading. By connecting the digital sensor to a secure, encrypted analytics platform, regional viral hotspots can be detected in real-time and immediately contained.
On March 22 the World Health Organization WHO pointed out, that lockdowns alone are not sufficient to combat the pandemic. It called on European governments to drastically increase the testing procedure to find and isolate those who are infected. “We have a simple message for all countries: Test, test, test,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General at the WHO. The Digid Cantisense™ SARS-CoV-2 Test can make a significant contribution to this.
Detection of the virus instead of antibodies
The scientists of the consortium are convinced that the approach of directly determining the virus using a highly specific biosensor test can significantly reduce the diagnostic window between infection and detection of the virus. With the 5 Minute Test developed by digid, the SARS-CoV-2 virus can be measured using micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) without the need for time-consuming sample preparation.
Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems(MEMS)
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