Israeli Scientist Invents Fastest Coronavirus Test

Israeli scientist Gabby Sarusi has invented a spectroscopy-based breath test for coronavirus, which gives a positive or a negative result in less than a minute, sometimes in only 20 seconds, Israeli media report a press release by the Ben-Gurion University.

The device now needs to be approved, which is a process that takes two to three months. Mass production should begin in September or October.

It is estimated that one device can produce 4,500 test results a day, provided that one test takes 20 seconds.

Professor Sarusi announced that this kind of testing could become fully automated with time.

He said that the way of detecting whether people are pretending to breathe as a means of avoiding taking the test has also been patented. The testing device will cost around USD 400,000, and a single test will be 40 to 50 dollars, the professor estimates.

The current accuracy is 90%, on a sample of 120 Israelis, 45% of which were infected. Tests with 100% accuracy do not exist yet.

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