Covid breath test that gives result in a minute approved by Singapore

The test has more than 90 per cent accuracy in a Singapore-based pilot clinical trial

A staff member demonstrates the usage of Breathonix breathalyzer test at their laboratory in Singapore on 29 October, 2020 (REUTERS)

A Covid-19 breath test that can give results within a minute has been provisionally approved by Singapore as the country battles a surge in coronavirus cases.

The test, developed by Breathonix, a spin-off company of the National University of Singapore (NUS), will be administered by trained personnel, but does not require medically trained staff or laboratory processing.

The university said that the test works by detecting volatile organic compounds (VOC) — produced by biochemical reactions in human cells — present in a person’s exhaled breath.

Changes in the compound can be measured as markers for diseases like Covid-19 because the VOC signature of a healthy person’s breath varies from that of a person with an illness.

A person who tests positive on the breath test will need to undergo a confirmatory PCR Covid-19 swab test.

Dr Jia Zhunan, chief executive officer of Breathonix, said: “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.”

Dr Jia said that cross-contamination is unlikely as the disposable mouthpiece has a one-way valve and a saliva trap to prevent inhalation or saliva from entering the machine.

Breathonix is now working with the Singapore health ministry to run a deployment trial at Tuas Checkpoint where incoming travellers will be screened with the breath test, NUS said in a press release.

The breath analysis will be carried out alongside the current compulsory Covid-19 antigen rapid test.

The Breathonix test has so far undergone clinical trials at three locations — two in Singapore and one in Dubai — from June, 2020, till April this year. It achieved more than 90 per cent accuracy in the pilot clinical trial based in Singapore that involved 180 patients, the university said last year.

Singapore has tightened restrictions in recent weeks to combat a spike in local infections and postponed a quarantine-free travel bubble with Hong Kong. The country, which was previously lauded for its Covid-19 response, said it will conduct more testing and surveillance to prevent further spread of the virus.