Game-changing breath analyser test to detect virus in 60 seconds

The breath analyser is easily completed because the user/ client/patient need only to blow into a disposable mouthpiece connected to a high-precision breath sampler

- Mariecar Jara-Puyod

From the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) to sniffing K-9 dogs, determining if one were infected with the quick-mutating virulent SARS-CoV2 may soon become much easier and faster as an ongoing study on a breath analyser technology, originally for cancer detection, is now being conducted in Dubai.

The collaborative study among the Dubai Health Authority (DHA), the Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU) in Dubai Healthcare City, and the National University of Singapore-Breathonix Pte Ltd. (Breathonix) was announced on Saturday.

It comes after the UAE Ministry of Interior on Mar.10 released a video whereby well-trained K-9 dogs sniff on the armpit swabs of individuals for the positive or negative COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus), and the method to be implemented in approved public events or gatherings.

COVID-19 Command & Control Centre (Dubai) head/Study Lead investigator/MBRU Family Medicine assistant professor Dr. Hanan Al Suwaidi said: “We are keen to further strengthen research in the field of tech-transfer as technology has the potential to radically improve healthcare processes, healthcare management, and most importantly patient outcomes.”