Vietnam now able to produce rapid test kit for coronavirus

Scientists believe that Vietnam is the first country to successfully create a rapid test kit for the new coronavirus to provide results after only 70 minutes, instead of nine hours as usual, local media reported.

Scientist Le Quang Hoa from Hanoi Politechnic University has recently announced the successful research of the new coronavirus rapid test kit with RT-LAMP bio-product.

Dr. Le Quang Hoa presents on the new coronavirus rapid test. Photo: Phunumoi

The RT-LAMP bio-product is a nucleic acid isothermal amplification technique specifically used to detect the RNA of pathogenic viruses.

Previously, to test nCoV infections and suspected cases, Vietnam applied a gene sequencing test method that took three to five days. Then, by the World Health Organization (WHO) test sample combined with the molecular biology test method, the test time has been reduced to less than nine hours.

The usual RT-PCR reaction in the WHO test sample takes four hours (240 minutes) for the whole procedure. Now, the successful study of the new coronavirus rapid test kit with RT-LAMP bio-product will produce results after only 70 minutes.

Dr. Le Quang Hoa told Phap Luat Plus newspaper that the study was started nearly one month ago with the participation of more than 10 scientists.

At present, the research team is looking forward to being supported by the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Science and Technology for clinical trials.

The kit is expected to be produced in one week's time and be soon put into mass production, contributing to rapid diagnosis of the coronavirus even in hospitals of district level, not only in central-level hospitals.

The new coronavirus can be transmitted from person to person, most likely through close contact via particles in the air from coughing or sneezing, or by touching a person or object carrying the virus .

The virus has spread from mainland China to Hong Kong, Macao, Thailand, Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia, Japan, Australia, the US, South Korea, France, Germany, Canada, Vietnam, the UAE, Nepal, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, India, the Philippines, the UK, Russia and Spain.

Chinese authorities said more than 36,757 people have contracted the virus and 806 have died as of February 9 morning.

Besides China, some countries recorded an increase of nCoV infections such as Japan (89 people), Singapore (40 people), Thailand (32 people). In Vietnam, 14 people have been confirmed positive with the virus.