Sniffer dogs could soon be used in the UK to help detect people infected with coronavirus.
A health minister is "extremely hopeful" that dogs can be used to help detect Covid-19.
Lord Bethell praised an "extremely exciting" trial taking place to assess whether trained dogs can be used to identify unique odours associated with coronavirus infection.
It is hoped they could be used to screen crowds at airports and other busy venues to seek out infected people.
Finland has already deployed coronavirus-sniffing dogs at its main international airport in a four-month trial.
Speaking in the House of Lords, Crossbench peer Baroness Masham of Ilton asked: "Could I ask the minister what he thinks about trained sniffer dogs to detect Covid-19?
"And does he know the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine is one of several groups that have assessed the accuracy of using sniffer dogs?"
Lord Bethell replied: "I take my hat off to the School of Tropical Medicine who run an extremely exciting trial.
"In fact, the Secretary of State (Matt Hancock) is visiting them this very afternoon in order to get an update on that trial.
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"Dogs can be used as a way of screening crowds in places like airports and high-density venues.
"The validation of that method hasn't been proven yet, but I am personally extremely hopeful and remain grateful to those involved in the pilot."
