Japan's health ministry reviewing fast antigen test for coronavirus
Test reagent manufacturer Fujirebio Inc. has applied for approval for an antigen test that has potential to dramatically shorten the testing time for the new coronavirus, Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Katsunobu Kato said at a plenary session of the lower house in Tokyo on Monday.
The health ministry plans to examine the application as soon as possible.
The antigen test takes about 15 minutes to reveal a positive or negative result, while the current PCR test takes four to six hours on a dedicated device, and in some cases patients have to wait several days or up to a week to find out if they are infected or not.
In the new test, mucus from a nostril or other bodily fluid is put into a testing kit and a positive result is supposed to appear if the fluid contains a substance unique to the new coronavirus. The new method is similar to the test for influenza, which is widely used.
According to ministry officials, the focus will be on whether the virus can be distinguished from other types of coronavirus. The review is expected to be completed in a few weeks if it is confirmed that there is no problem with the test's accuracy.
If the new test kit is put to practical use, many patients could be examined in a short period of time.
Some other companies are also developing similar tests, and the ministry is trying to come up with a strategy for when to use either antigen tests or PCR tests.
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