A hospital in southern Taiwan has developed a rapid test kit that can detect COVID-19 in as little as 15 minutes. Initial results are promising.

Poke your finger, draw some blood, and wait 15 minutes. That’s all it takes to get a result in this new COVID-19 test. It’s the work of Kaohsiung Municipal Siaogang Hospital in southern Taiwan. 

The instrument is very sensitive, and can detect even a small viral load. Siaogang Hospital Superintendent Kuo Chao-Hung says that the device uses light to detect traces of the COVID-19 virus. 

The test is nearly 100% accurate. Test data can be uploaded via a smartphone app, giving authorities a better idea of the disease’s spread.

The rapid test kit is still undergoing clinical trials. Once Taiwan's Centers for Disease Control approves it, then it can be mass-produced. 

A company that helped develop the test kit says it’s 33% cheaper than kits that use traditional nucleic acid testing methods. The company expects that the device will hit the market with a price tag of less than NT$1,000 (US$33.39).