Scientists have developed a chip with a 99.9 percent accurate detection of COVID-19 infections.
It was developed by the director of the Genomics and Technology Laboratory at the University of New Mexico Jeremy Edwards along with colleagues at the Centroleon Institute of Technology in California and West Virginia University, whose genomic sequencing method allows for a much faster detection of respiratory diseases – including COVID-19.
Their study, published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society and reported internationally, explained that this new technology could become an alternative method to traditional tests, which have been known to produce false positive/negative results.
However the researchers cautioned that contact tracing and testing will remain among the most effective methods to limit the spread of the virus, until vaccines are distributed on a large scale and are made easily accessible.
While clinical examinations only allow confirmation of the presence or absence of the virus, entire genome sequencing would allow tracking of virus spread and pre-existing viral strains, the study explained
The Edwards laboratory involved in the study confirmed that this chip is amongst the best technology to monitor the viral genome on a large scale and keep pace of mutated viral strains.
The laboratory also expressed its hope that the new technology will help stop this pandemic and others in the future.
