Rapid diagnosis of COVID-19 in Iran
Detecting coronavirus within 2 hours in Iran
According to an ISNA interview with the business development director of an Iranian knowledge enterprise, Dr.Vahid Yunesi, which is also one of the researchers, the company has started the research on the diagnostic instructions for coronavirus from the start of the virus outbreak in China, since the outbreak meant that the virus will spread to other countries as well. Their researches were focused on the design of a kit based on the successful experience of Chinese researchers who have been involved with the disease heavily.
After the Vice President of Science and Technology and the Vice President of Research for the Ministry of Health and Medical Education called for localized designs for coronavirus diagnostic kits, the company presented the laboratory model of the kit that has been developed through these studies.
The presented product was accepted and the industrial sample was sent to the Pasteur Institute of Iran as a reference laboratory. The product passed the quality control tests and the quality of the kit was verified. After getting the necessary certifications, the company obtained the license to sell from the Department of Health's General Medical Equipment Department for trading COVID-19 diagnostic kits.
The diagnostic results are very similar to the results obtained from imported kits while the cost is a quarter. The mass-production of the kits has already begun with the capacity of 80,000 kits per week and the selling of the product to the provincial laboratories has begun from yesterday, March 24th.
Since the situation of the disease is not predictable for any country, there is a need for diagnostic kits for future months. Regarding this issue, the company has announced that they can provide 400,000 kits for storage by the next month which is an acceptable number.
Performance of COVID-19 diagnostic kit
The kit is designed according to international guidelines and instructions for specifically detecting coronavirus and is capable of providing definitive diagnosis within two hours using samples from the throat, nose and respiratory tract.
The acceptable results of the kits have led to inquiries for the export to affected countries.
Ongoing studies to identify new forms of coronavirus
The genomic structure of the virus is considered to detect different forms of the virus. According to international studies coronavirus has two forms, L and S. The mentioned kit is able to diagnose both. However, if studies find new forms of the virus the kits have to be certified through validation tests to find out whether their performance is impaired or not.
2020 March 25