Brazil sanitary body approves eight quick tests for COVID-19

Brazil’s National Sanitary Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) approved the first eight quick tests to diagnose COVID-19. The new products are designed for professional use and allow results to be read in about 15 minutes.

The data must be interpreted by a health professional, Anvisa reported, and associated with patients’ clinical state and other tests. Test manufacture will depend on the capacity of each company that received the registration.

The move comes as part of Anvisa’s efforts to make available products that can be used to tackle the pandemic. Other products aimed at the diagnosis of the new virus are also being tested under top priority.

The kits approved Thursday (Mar. 19) are divided into two groups: those that use blood samples and detect antibodies (IgM and IgG) and those using samples from patient’s respiratory tract (nose and throat) and detect the antigen (the virus).

As per the latest official figures, Brazil has reported 621 cases of the disease and six deaths.