Portable COVID-19 test approved for human use in Canada, claims to provide results ‘in minutes’

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – A portable COVID-19 testing device has been approved for use on humans by Health Canada, and it claims to deliver results in just 90 minutes.

The bCUBE, created by UK-based Hyris, will allow people to be tested anywhere. The device is controlled by anything with an internet connection, like a smartphone.

The unit then tests the sample “through a cloud-based platform,” and is able to churn out “accurate results in minutes,” according to Songbird Life Sciences, the company that distributes the device.

“The bCUBE is a small, portable genomic biotechnology that is ideal for onsite, immediate test results,” Dr. Steven Newmaster, University of Guelph Genomics Professor, says in a release.
“We have validated the bCUBE after using it for several years in the food and natural products industry to identify pathogens, microbes, animal and botanical species ingredients.”

The approval comes as the number of COVID-19 cases rises across Canada, and after the prime minister announced that we were in the midst of a second wave of the coronavirus.

The bCUBE had previously been approved by Health Canada for surface testing.

Songbird Life Science says the approval for use on humans “addresses big gaps in testing capability and accessibility,” especially at a time when demand for testing is rising.

“This is key to keeping the economy running and people safe, despite the ongoing pandemic. Test results in minutes is a game changer,” Deleo de Leonardis, co-founder of Songbird Life Science, says.

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