A German company said it has developed a test for the COVID-19 virus that can deliver a diagnosis in less than three hours and does not need to be taken to a laboratory.
Bosch said the rapid test was developed in six weeks and can also check for nine other respiratory diseases, including influenza, using a single sample.
The test, which Bosch said delivered results “with an accuracy of over 95 percent,” uses a swab sample from the patient’s nose or throat. The sample is then put into an analysis device for evaluation. The devices can perform up to 10 tests within 24 hours.
The new test will be available in Germany beginning in April and will eventually roll out to other European markets.
“Bosch’s rapid COVID-19 test will help contain the spread of the pandemic and break the chain of transmission more quickly,” CEO Volkmar Denner said. “It will speed up the identification and isolation of infected patients.”
