New testing method diagnoses COVID-19 in just 30 minutes: Study

SEOUL: The SENSR technology has been developed by the scientists at Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) in South Korea to diagnose COVID-19 in just 30 minutes. The diagnosis is based on the Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) sequence of the virus and will reduce the burden on a single testing location. The technique is as effective as the traditional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test and will help in avoiding contact with infected patients as much as possible.

According to the research published in Nature Biomedical Engineering, the major benefit of this method is that in case a new virus other than COVID-19 is detected, a new diagnostic kit can be developed within a week.

Researchers said that this testing method is not suitable for use in small villages, airport or drive-thru screening clinics as it involves the use of expensive equipment and expert staff. They designed the methodology to produce nucleic acid binding reaction to show change in colour only when COVID-19 RNA is present. This helps to detect the novel coronavirus instantly with high sensitivity in lesser time.

A major advantage of the new testing method is that a diagnostic kit can be prepared in a simple portable and easy-to-use form. The testing is only for the onsite diagnosis before going to the hospital but will enable the users to have a proactive response to COVID-19 infection.