BEIJING (CHINA DAILY/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - The Chinese Academy of Sciences announced on April 9 that its biomedical institute in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, had created a nucleic acid test kit that could produce results in just 45 minutes.. Read more at straitstimes.com.
BEIJING - The Chinese Academy of Sciences announced on April 9 that its biomedical institute in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, had created a nucleic acid test kit that could produce results in just 45 minutes.Dr Wang Daming, leader of the research team at the academy's Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, started working on the kit in January. The following month, he went to Hubei province to test its efficacy.
Ms Beate Trankmann, the United Nations Development Programme resident representative for China, said the country is one of the few markets that has not banned exports of medical supplies and is actively supporting global procurement to fight the novel coronavirus pandemic. Moreover, conventional PCR nucleic acid test kits must be transported in special cooling containers that use a considerable amount of dry ice, which has a surface temperature of minus 78 deg C.
Immunology professor Wang Yuedan at Peking University, who was not involved in creating the test kit, said the new technique can be used to test for the virus, but it requires a special machine.USEFUL LESSONS Dr Zhang Shuyang, vice-president of Peking Union Medical College Hospital, said two of the most popular diagnostic methods for Covid-19 are PCR nucleic acid tests and antibody tests.
Dr Wang Jianbin, a researcher at the Centre for Life Sciences jointly operated by Tsinghua University and Peking University, said a typical nucleic acid test kit has three components: the extraction reagent; enzymes and supporting chemicals; and primers. According to the China Association for In-Vitro Diagnostics, laboratory testing for the novel coronavirus is highly dangerous. Employees must wear protective gear that meets biological safety level 3 requirements, the third-highest on a four-tier system for handling dangerous pathogens such as yellow fever, West Nile virus and bacteria that cause tuberculosis.
As the pandemic virus is just a single strand of fragile ribonucleic acid, samples that are collected must be tested within four hours to prevent the genetic material from degrading. If, for some reason, samples are not tested within 24 hours, they must be stored at a temperature of below minus 70 deg C, according to the China Association for In-Vitro Diagnostics.
Ms Jiang Fan, a senior inspector at the Ministry of Commerce's Department of Foreign Trade, said at a news briefing last week:"The ministry will partner with other related government bodies to enhance oversight of production, approval and customs clearance for medical products. Ms Trankmann, from the UNDP, said it is important to have a dedicated team of medical experts to source quality goods. It is also vital to have a list of certified companies that allow buyers to confirm and compare their products, she added.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Coronavirus deaths at US nursing homes pass 3,800, with 45 at Virginia facilityRICHMOND, VIRGINIA (NYTIMES) - Even before the first resident tested positive for the coronavirus at a nursing home in Richmond, Virginia, staff members were worried.. Read more at straitstimes.com.
Read more »
Thailand reports 30 new COVID-19 cases, two new deathsThailand reported 30 new coronavirus cases and 2 deaths on Wednesday.
Read more »
Coronavirus deaths at US nursing homes pass 3,800, with 45 at Virginia facilityRICHMOND, VIRGINIA (NYTIMES) - Even before the first resident tested positive for the coronavirus at a nursing home in Richmond, Virginia, staff members were worried.. Read more at straitstimes.com.
Read more »
China reports 46 new coronavirus cases in mainland versus 89 a day earlierBEIJING (REUTERS) - China reported 46 new confirmed cases of the coronavirus in the mainland, compared with 89 cases a day earlier, according to the National Health Commission on Wednesday (April 15).. Read more at straitstimes.com.
Read more »
China reports fewer coronavirus cases but infections from Russia a worryChina reported on Wednesday a decline in new confirmed cases of the coronavirus in the mainland, although an increasing number of local ...
Read more »