CORONAVIRUS NEWS

A novel coronavirus diagnostic test developed by Public Health England (PHE) is being rolled out to laboratories across the UK. The increase in diagnostic capacity from one laboratory in London to 12 elsewhere over the coming weeks will accelerate the country’s testing capabilities.

InterSystems is releasing global functionality for its TrakCare unified healthcare information system to screen and support patients infected with the novel coronavirus 2019-nCoV. The functionality is available to users of the latest editions of TrakCare now, and customers in China and numerous other countries, including the UK and United Arab Emirates, have already begun using it.

A ground-breaking test for the potentially fatal 2019-nCoV strain of coronavirus is in the final stages of development at global health diagnostics company Randox Laboratories. The soon-to-be-launched test, developed on Randox’s patented Biochip Technology, will be available for immediate 2019-nCoV testing, but an additional enhanced multiplex array will also include tests for other respiratory viruses which can display the same symptoms. The new enhanced Biochip will therefore allow clinicians quickly and efficiently to differentiate between potentially lethal and non-lethal infections.

Public Health England has issued guidelines for hospital laboratories in case coronavirus infection arrives in the UK. Public fears are growing, but biomedical scientists who specialise in viruses and viral diseases are prepared should cases reach their hospitals.

Coronaviruses are RNA viruses that infect many animal species. In humans they usually cause mild respiratory disease similar to the common cold. However, two recent outbreaks of acute respiratory illness have occurred; severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). These coronaviruses both caused severe illness with high mortality rates.