Categories: Latest NewsSingapore

S’pore Checkpoints To Use New Covid-19 Test Kits That Deliver Results Within 3 Hours

New Covid-19 Test Kits Have Accuracy Of More Than 99%

As the number of Covid-19 increases around the world, the Singapore government is leaving no stones unturned, and are stepping up measures at our borders.

To make this process swifter, new Covid-19 test kits will be used at Singapore’s checkpoint, from Thursday (5 Mar).

The test kits will be far more efficient than its counterparts used in hospitals, guaranteeing results within 3 hours.

Source

New Covid-19 test kits first announced in January

According to Channel NewsAsia (CNA), the new test kit is a joint-collaboration between folks from the Home Team Science & Technology (HTX) and Verdus Laboratories.

Source

Apart from delivering results within such a short period of time, it also boasts an accuracy of more than 99%.

The new test kit was first announced back in late Jan. They planned to make the test kit “commercially available” by Mar 2020.

Facility can test up to 200 samples per day

The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has given the test kit provisional authorisation and can now be used directly by laboratories or hospitals to test patients.

Swab samples obtained from Singapore’s checkpoints will be brought to HTX’s lab located in Pasir Panjang.

 

A team of 20 scientists will work on rotation at the facility which can test up to 200 samples per day.

If a sample tests positive, the Ministry of Health will be informed.

Travellers with symptoms will have to undergo Covid-19 swab test

From Wednesday (4 Mar), all travellers entering Singapore with a fever and/or respiratory symptoms would be required to undergo a Covid-19 swab test.

This applies to those who do not meet the clinical suspect case definition.

Travellers will be allowed into Singapore after the swab test. However, they will be advised to avoid contact with other people.

They will be informed of their test results within 6 hours. Those who test positive will be brought to a hospital in a “dedicated ambulance”.

Kudos for making this test kit possible

Kudos to the folks at HTX and Verdus Laboratories for the ground-breaking invention, which allows our healthcare workers to detect Covid-19 at an earlier stage.

We hope this will prevent any Covid-19 patients from spreading the virus to others they come into contact with and allow the authorities to ringfence the spread.

Featured image adapted from LinkedIn

The Must Share News Team

Teamwork makes the dream work.

Recent Posts

‘The girls will not feel safe’: Parents of S’pore Sports School students in deepfake nude photo scandal demand harsher punishment

The school has lodged a police report and police investigations are ongoing.

14 Nov 2024, 10:36 am

Water supply cut off at Woodlands block for more than 1 day, residents shower at swimming pool

Residents queued to collect water from taps in the void deck or PUB water wagons.

14 Nov 2024, 2:15 am

URL on ‘Wicked’ dolls’ packaging links to porn site, Mattel apologises for misprint

The misprinted boxes are now coveted items on eBay.

13 Nov 2024, 6:30 pm

‘It suits you’: Daughter in Thailand asks for car, dad gets her tuk tuk instead

And she named her new purple ride after a popular Thai rum.

13 Nov 2024, 6:01 pm

2 boys rush out of MRT to return laptop left by alighting passenger, praised for actions

They managed to run back onto the train in time.

13 Nov 2024, 5:29 pm

Croatian scientist treats own breast cancer with viruses she developed in lab, has been cancer-free for 4 years

During the treatment, her tumour substantially shrank and was later removed easily.

13 Nov 2024, 5:16 pm