COVID-19: Sidra Medicine develops device that can examine 4,000 samples a day

Tribune News NetworkDohaSidra Medicine has developed a new device that can examine 4,000 samples for COVID-19 in Qatar, its Acting Head of Research Dr Khaled Fakhro has said.The device, which is able to examine 200 to 300 samples per hour, is made using low-cost materials available in the local market, he added.In terms of sensitivity, Dr Fakhro said, the device is more effective at detecting the virus than other traditional methods currently on the market.Traditional method of detecting coronavirus involves three steps. At first, a smear from the patient's respiratory system is obtained. The next step is the extraction of nucleic acids from the smear in a laboratory. The final step is the chemical examinination to confirm if the smear contains the genetic material of coronavirus.The COVID-19 pandemic has created a huge demand and a subsequent shortage of virus detection equipment, Dr Fakro said, adding this prompted Sidra Medicine to develop its own device in a short period of time.