New PolyU system can detect virus in an hour

Hong Kong Polytechnic University announced on Tuesday it has developed new testing system for diagnosing the novel coronavirus within one hour.

The rapid diagnostic system requires no manual operation throughout the entire process. It includes a fully automated machine and a multiplex full-screening panel for the point-of-care genetic testing (POCT) of respiratory infectious diseases, according to the university's press release on Tuesday.

The new technology can identify more than 30 bacteria and viruses which cause respiratory infectious diseases, including the novel coronavirus, SARS and Influenza A, two times more that what the current technology can detect.

Terence Lau Lok-ting, director of Innovation and Technology Development of the university, said that the new testing system can significantly increase the sensitivity of the test to ensure the reliability of the results.

Noting its much lower production cost, Lau, also an adjunct professor of the university's Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, said that the new technology can be widely applied and is ready for mass production.