Virus Outbreak: Institutes unveil prototype rapid test kitBy Lee I-chia / Staff reporterThe National Health Research Institute (NHRI) and the National Defense Medical Center yesterday announced a prototype COVID-19 rapid diagnostic kit that can provide results in about 15 minutes. The NHRI and the center’s Institute of Preventive Medicine used SARS-CoV antibodies produced during the SARS outbreak in 2003 and picked out one that can identify SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, to develop the rapid test kit. After spending a month developing the test kit, the institutes yesterday in Taipei presented the prototype to pharmaceutical companies in the hope of achieving technology transfers and starting mass production. National Institute of Infectious Disease and Vaccinology Director Liao Ching-len explains the functions of a prototype COVID-19 rapid diagnostic tool in Taipei yesterday. If the procedures go smoothly, the test kit could be out in three months, Liang said.

Source: Taipei Times April 08, 2020 15:56 UTC