UK scientists develop Covid detector gadget

London, June 13

Electronic devices may soon be used to identify the presence of infection in a crowded space using body odour profiles after scientists in the UK have tested a so-called “Covid alarm”.

Early studies by scientists at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and Durham University show that Covid infection has a distinct smell, resulting from changes in the volatile organic compounds (VOC) which make up the body odour — generating an odour “fingerprint” that the sensors can detect.

Led by researchers from the LSHTM and biotech company RoboScientific Ltd with Durham University, the study tested devices with organic semi-conducting (OSC) sensors, which could potentially be used as a Covid screening tool.

“These results are really promising and demonstrate the potential for using this technology as a rapid, non-invasive test with incredible accuracy. However, further testing is required to confirm if these results can be replicated in real-world settings,” said Professor James Logan, Department of Disease Control at LSHTM. — PTI

Study: Variants can evade antibodies

A study, which is yet to be published in a scientific journal, revealed that cell-to-cell transmission with both variants successfully evaded antibody neutralisation. — The Conversation