Photo: National University Singapore
A breath test that can detect Covid-19 within a minute has received provisional authorisation from Singapore’s Health Sciences Authority (HSA).
According to developer Breathonix, a spin-off company from the National University of Singapore (NUS), the Brefence Go COVID-19 Breath Test System is the first breath analysis system to secure provisional authorisation in Singapore.
The system underwent clinical trials between June 2020 to April at three locations, including the National Centre for Infectious Diseases, Changi Airport and Dubai, where the trial was conducted in collaboration with the Dubai Health Authority and the Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences.
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Breathonix is now working with the Singapore Ministry of Health (MOH) to run a deployment trial of the system at one of the land checkpoints where incoming travellers will undergo screening with the breath test system, alongside the current Covid-19 antigen rapid test.
Dr Jia Zhunan, CEO of Breathonix, explained, “Our breath test is non-invasive. Users only need to breathe out normally into the disposable mouthpiece provided, so there will not be any discomfort.”
The system works by detecting volatile organic compounds (VOCs) present in a person’s exhaled breath.
As the VOC signature from a healthy person’s breath varies from that of a person with an illness, changes in VOCs can be measured as markers for diseases like Covid-19.
Any individual screened positive will need to undergo a confirmatory polymerase chain reaction (PCR) Covid-19 swab test.
Breathonix says it is in discussion with several local and overseas organisations to use the system.
