The Chinese have learned to detect coronavirus in minutes

Chinese scientists from Fudan University in Shanghai have developed a fundamentally new method for diagnosing coronavirus. Their report says that they have created a device that detects an infection in just four minutes.

“We have implemented an electromechanical biosensor for SARS-CoV-2 detection in an integrated handheld device and have shown that it detects the virus RNA in less than four minutes on nasopharyngeal samples,” the researchers report.

This device uses microscopic mechanical components that, when combined with microelectronics, can convert mechanical, chemical, biological, or other sensory responses into electrical signals.

It can also be connected to a computer or smartphone.

The test was conducted on 33 patients who had previously been diagnosed with coronavirus, as well as 54 healthy people. The test results matched those obtained by PCR.

The device can be used at airports, clinics, emergency departments and even at home.