Radio Taiwan International
Date: 20 April, 2020
By: Leslie Liao

A hospital in southern Taiwan has developed a rapid test kit that can detect COVID-19 in as little as 15 minutes. Initial results are promising.

Poke your finger, draw some blood, and wait 15 minutes. That’s all it takes to get a result in this new COVID-19 test. It’s the work of Kaohsiung Municipal Siaogang Hospital in southern Taiwan. 

The instrument is very sensitive, and can detect even a small viral load. Siaogang Hospital Superintendent Kuo Chao-Hung says that the device uses light to detect traces of the COVID-19 virus. 

The test is nearly 100% accurate. Test data can be uploaded via a smartphone app, giving authorities a better idea of the disease’s spread.

The rapid test kit is still undergoing clinical trials. Once Taiwan's Centers for Disease Control approves it, then it can be mass-produced.     [FULL  STORY]