Science and Tech

Fujifilm says new coronavirus test can produce results in two hours

Fujifilm says new coronavirus test can produce results in two hours

By Reuters

FILE PHOTO: Fujifilm's company logo (top) is seen at its exhibition hall nearby the headquarters of Fujifilm Holdings Corp in Tokyo, Japan June 12, 2017. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon/File Photo

TOKYO: Fujifilm Holdings Corp said it has developed a new, faster test for the novel coronavirus that causes the COVID-19 disease, reducing the time of results delivery to about two hours. The test was developed by subsidiary Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Corp and will be released on April 15, the company said on Friday. The SARS-CoV-2 RT-qPCR detection kit will be able to test for the virus faster than existing polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, which take four to six hours, the company said. Fujifilm's Avigan anti-flu drug is being tested as a treatment in China. Japan's chief cabinet secretary, Yoshihide Suga, told a news conference on Friday that the government has had requests for the drug from about 30 countires and is considering providing grant-free access. READ ALSO: