Swiss Pharma brand Roche to launch millions of 15-minute COVID-19 tests

Swiss Pharmaceutical Brand Roche has said that it would launch a new 15-minute coronavirus test by end of Spetember. In a public announcement on September 1, the top company said the new test would check if a person had contracted the lethal SARS-CoV-2 within quarter of an hour. This announcement comes as the virus has infected over and killed across the world.

According to international media reports, the pharma brand would launch and distribute millions of the swift testing kit in partnership with biotech company S Biosensor. For acquiring the 'Rapid' tests, all countries need to urgently seek approval from the US' Food and Drug Administration. However, the company clarified that the tests would be prioritized for countries that recognise the CE mark for products sold in the European Union

"At launch, there will be 40 million SARS-CoV-2 Rapid Tests available, per month," a capacity that would more than double by the end of the year, said the company statement.

Testing in rest of the world

French Capital Paris' local municipality has said that it would make free COVID-19 testing available in all of the 20 districts. There has been a surge in cases indicating towards the re-emergence of the deadly virus in France. Reports suggest that the Paris mayor’s office further added that there would be three permanent laboratories to conduct the testing and  two other mobile laboratories would function around the capital.

Read: IPL 2020 Dented Further With TV Crew Member From India Testing COVID-19 Positive?

Read: Hong Kong Begins Mass-testing For Virus Amid Public Doubts

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has said that his country has conducted the highest number of COVID-19 tests, much more than any other country with India being the second largest. Trump, in his acceptance speech to the Republican National Convention which re-nominated him as the Republican Party's presidential candidate, said that the US has conducted 40 million more tests than the next closest nation which is India.This comes as the number of tests for detection of COVID-19 has crossed the four-crore mark in India, while the number of such tests per 10 lakh people has also increased to 29,280, the Union health ministry said. 

Read: Paris To Make Free COVID-19 Testing Available In All 20 Districts

Read: Vinesh Phogat Recovers From COVID-19 Infection Within A Week Of Testing Positive

Image credits: AP