Credit: Louis Reed Unsplash
The UAE has developed a non-invasive rapid laser testing system for Covid-19 that gives results in seconds. The new system aims to replace the conventional methods of swab and blood tests that can take hours to extract results from and it’s thought it could be ready to roll out in a matter of months.
Developed by QuantLase Imaging Lab, the medical research arm of International Holdings Company, this new way of testing patients can be used for mass screenings, with results available in seconds.
“We are always following innovations related to the early and rapid detection of Covid-19,” said Abdulrahman Al Owais, Minister of Health and Prevention. “The government is keen on supporting initiatives that help the healthcare system in the UAE.” He added: “Health officials have been closely monitoring the progress of trials with QuantLase in order to test this equipment. We are proud to see a technology that works and that will help to protect our people better.”
The equipment, which uses a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor, “The device is suitable for use not only in hospitals and public places such as cinemas and shopping malls, but with a little hands-on training it can be used for in-house testing and monitoring. It will enable mass-scale screening with results made available in seconds”, said Dr Pramod Kumar, who leads the lab’s team of researchers.
“We believe it will be a game-changer in tackling the spread of the coronavirus. What’s more, it is user-friendly, non-invasive and low-cost” he added.
This new technology even claims to be able to detect carriers before they become infectious, which may be crucial in containing the virus moving forward.
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