The government has invested NT$2.16 billion (US$71.7 million) in the testing, treatment, prevention and research of the disease, National Health Research Institute (NHRI) president Liang Kung-yee (梁賡義) said. An official holds a prototype of the COVID-19 rapid testing kid developed by the Industrial Technology Research Institute at a news conference yesterday at the Executive Yuan in Taipei. That test could produce results in 15 to 20 minutes, and might also be ready for mass production by July, he said. A third drug, quinine — which is commonly used to treat malaria and babesiosis — has also shown promise in the treatment of COVID-19 patients with mild symptoms, he said. “Several countries have expressed hope to work with Taiwan to produce a vaccine and rapid test,” he said.

Source: Taipei Times April 13, 2020 15:56 UTC