Singapore has provisionally approved a COVID-19 breathalyser test that shows whether someone is infected with the corona virus in under a minute. A local startup has developed the product.
Breathonix, a spin off company from the National University of Singapore (NUS), stated that it is currently working with the health ministry to run a trial of this product at one of the city-state’s border points with Malaysia.
The breath analysis will be working alongside the current compulsory COVID-19 antigen rapid test.
The tests will cost around s$5-s$20. Depending on the quantity purchased.
The breath test has 90% accuracy, the company said last year.
The Health Sciences Authority’s website confirmed the approval, which the company said was the first system to secure provisional authorization in Singapore.
The product uses disposable mouth pieces and has no room for contamination. After blowing into the device, the technology assesses the chemical compounds of the breath to declare whether the person has contracted the corona virus or not. Anyone tested as positive, will ne required to undergo to a confirmatory polymerase chain reaction (PCR) COVID-19 swab test.
