Ortho Clinical Diagnostics has announced that its CE-marked VITROS® SARS-CoV-2 antigen test can now detect the SARS-CoV-2 virus in asymptomatic individuals as well. The low-cost antigen test can perform 130 tests in one hour, making it a viable testing method for high-throughput testing and monitoring across large communities and populations.
A study conducted by Kaiser Permanente researchers found that a new tool developed by the care consortium helps in accurately predicting patient outcomes individuals infected with Covid-19. The COVAS tool investigates comorbidities, vital signs, obesity, age and sex, and has been fused into the electronic health record system in Southern California to support and guide emergency and critical care centres.
Siemens Healthineers has been awarded a $12m contract by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the US Department of Defence (DoD) to support the domestic production of two diagnostic tests for Covid-19. The funding is an addition to the $13m awarded by HHS earlier, to fast-track the company’s development of the diagnostic tests.
Dubai Health Authority (DHA) officials have announced a new saliva test that has been initiated to detect the SAR-CoV-2 virus among children aged between three and 16 years across all DHA-run Covid-19 screening centres in Dubai. The new test was introduced as children found it difficult to take the nasal swab test, thereby encouraging greater screening of kids for the infection, reports the Khaleej Times.