coronavirus

BHU Researchers Create Coronavirus Testing Kit Which Gives Accurate Results In 5-6 Hours

Corona Test Kit

Coronavirus pandemic is spreading even fast after the Nizammudiin Markaz attendees got infected. Those infected are now spreading the virus at different cities at a very fast pace. The need for testing kits was essential so that more people could ve saved from the deadly virus.

The Banaras Hindu University (BHU) researcher has given a piece of good news. The Department of Molecular and Human Genetics on Tuesday announced that they have designed a new COVID-19 testing kit. This kit can give accurate results witing 5-6 hours which is very fast.

Dr Geeta Rai, associate professor from BHU said:

“We have used the RTPCR method — which has been used as the screening method for COVID-19 worldwide — as our base in order to target the sequence,”

“We have designed primers that target the particular sequence which is only present in COVID-19,” she added.

The researcher from BHU said that the virus was not found in SARS:

“We are hopeful that when testing is being done, it only detects the Covid-19 sequence and it would reduce the chances of getting a false positive,” she explained.

Talking about her aim of making testing kits, Rai said:

“Our aim was to ensure that small diagnostic labs can purchase the device and are hopeful that the costing of the test is also low,”

Currently, it is at the research stage and it would only come into use once it is approved by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

She further added:

“It has a long way to go, it needs to be approved. Without approvals, we cannot consider it an achievement. Once it is approved by the ICMR, then only we can call it an achievement,”

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