The largest automotive supplier in the world has developed new technology in the fight against coronavirus — Germany’s Bosch announced it has developed a rapid test for the detection of the Covid-19 virus, Die Welt reported.
Typically, patients would have to wait a day or two for a result that comes from a laboratory after sampling. The newly developed test should be available in Germany from April, with further European and non-European markets to follow, the report said.
The molecular diagnostic rapid test will be used on the Vivalytic analyzer from Bosch Healthcare Solutions: “With the Bosch Covid-19 rapid test, we want to contribute to the rapid containment of the corona pandemic. Infected patients can be identified and isolated more quickly, ”says Bosch boss Volkmar Denner.
Bosch states that the process is one of the first fully automated, molecular diagnostic tests that can be used directly by all medical facilities. The test can be carried out at the place of clinical treatment, the report said.
“Time is one of the decisive factors in the fight against the coronavirus. Reliable, fast diagnosis directly on site without detours — that is the great advantage of our solution, ”says Denner.
According to Bosch Healthcare Solutions, up to ten tests can be carried out within 24 hours with a single Vivalytic analyzer. With just 100 devices, up to 1,000 tests could be evaluated every day, the report said.
Given the strong spread of the Covid-19 virus, Bosch is quickly creating additional test capacities with the device.
The Stuttgart-based company mainly manufactures the entire control electronics for vehicles, but also systems for exhaust gas purification. Another important branch of the group is the manufacture of factory equipment.
In recent years, Bosch has greatly expanded its capacities for the production of digital hardware and software. In this context, the subsidiary Bosch Healthcare Solutions was founded in 2015 and currently employs around 120 people.