▲ ▼ Fast, Inexpensive COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) test kit
Just took tests for flu like symptoms, turned out to be a normal flu. Owing to the flu season and COVID-19 scare; there are large number of people undergoing these tests, pushing the hospital resources to its limits.
That's why COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 has become especially dangerous. The true death rate from COVID-19 might be closer or bit higher than a severe season flu, but SARS-CoV-2 is more contagious than seasonal flu, with each person infected with it infecting 2.2 other people.
With the risk of COVID-19 disease becoming a pandemic, we need faster, inexpensive test kits available soon. WHO is developing protocols for COVID-19 tests, current available test kits are complex, expensive and are limited to only speciality disease centers even in developed countries.
Poor countries, wouldn't stand a chance if COVID-19 becomes a pandemic and hence we need fast, inexpensive test kits distributed globally to every primary care centers.
A project funded by the Gates Foundation will soon begin issuing at-home testing kits for the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, according to a report in the Seattle Times.