Singapore Approves Breath Test To Anticipate Explosion Of COVID-19 Cases

COVID-19 breath test illustration. (Source: Breathonix.com)

JAKARTA - Singaporean authorities have temporarily approved a COVID-19 respiratory test, to test whether a person is infected with the coronavirus in less than a minute.

This was announced by a local start-up, which manufactures breath test kits in collaboration with the Singapore Government and educational institutions.

This step was taken, in line with the surge in cases of COVID-19 infection in the Lion Country in recent times. After previously for months the cases of COVID-19 infection in the country only showed single digit numbers.

One of the ways the local government is doing is to increase testing for COVID-19, to prevent the entry and spread of the corona virus. For example by doing a breath test.

Breathonix, a spin-off company from the National University of Singapore (NUS) announced that it is collaborating with the Ministry of Health of Singapore, to run a trial of the application of technology at one of the country's border points with Malaysia.

It is planned that the local authorities will implement this breath test analysis to be carried out in conjunction with the COVID-19 rapid antigen test which is currently required in Singapore.

"It is planned that these test kits will sell for between S$5 and S$20 each, depending on the amount purchased," a company representative said.

"The breath test achieved over 90 percent accuracy in a Singapore-based pilot clinical trial," the company said last year.

The Health Sciences Authority website confirmed the approval, which the company said was the first system to obtain temporary authorization in Singapore.

The system uses a single-use funnel and is designed to ensure no cross-contamination. After blowing the device, the technology assesses the chemical compounds of the breath, to determine whether a person is infected or not.

"Every individual who is screened as positive, must undergo a COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) swab test," the company explained.

Breathonix said that his party is currently discussing with several local and foreign organizations regarding the use of their production test kits. A number of countries are known to use a breath test as was done with Breathhonix, such as Indonesia and the Netherlands.