China Speeds up Research and Approval of Testing Kits for New Coronavirus

BEIJING, March 6 (Xinhua) — A total of 14 testing products for the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) have gained approval for clinical use in China, an official with the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) said Friday.

China has launched a new batch of programs to develop testing products for COVID-19, including more sensitive and rapid detection kits for nucleic acid and antigen and antibody testing, Cheng Jing, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said at a press conference Friday.

Seven of them have been approved by the National Medical Products Administration and put into clinical use in the past two weeks.

A newly approved nucleic acid test chip can detect and distinguish six respiratory viruses all at once, including the novel coronavirus, said Cheng.

Compared with traditional test kits, the rapid detection chip of multiple respiratory viruses can detect the viruses faster within 1.5 hours and has little exposure to viruses, lowering the risk of infection.

The combination of nucleic acid tests and antibody detection has improved the detection rate, making it able to meet the needs of the country's virus detection, according to Wu Yuanbin, director-general of Science and Technology for Social Development with the MOST.

China will continue to speed up the research and development of new testing kits which are more rapid, accurate, convenient and safe, to put them into clinical treatment, Cheng said.

(Source: Xinhua)