Rapid Covid-19 test on trial at Hong Kong airport may miss some infections, University of Oxford professor admits

Scientist behind 30-minute test says infections with very low viral loads may fall under radar but designers insist overall accuracy is higher than 90 per cent

Much rests on reliability of the University of Oxford screening method, seen as key to opening up global travel, economies

Reading Time:3 minutes

It is hoped the Oxsed RaViD Direct test will play a major part in bringing back global travel and reviving economies. Photo: Dickson Lee

Published: 10:56pm, 30 Oct 2020Updated: 2:16pm, 31 Oct 2020

A rapid Covid-19 test returning results within 30 minutes and currently on trial at Hong Kong International Airport could miss some infections with very low viral levels, one of its developers has admitted.

The University of Oxford designers of the test say it can correctly identify more than 90 per cent of positive cases, but medical experts warn more trial data is needed to determine its sensitivity rate.

Called the Oxsed RaViD Direct, the screening method draws on established analysis technology called RT-LAMP and is developed by the British university’s spin-off company Oxsed, which Hong Kong start-up Prenetics has acquired.

According to data presented by its developers on Friday, the test’s sensitivity rate ranges from 92 to 100 per cent.

Professor Cui Zhanfeng, who led the Oxford research team, said cases of very low viral load might not be detected, referring to a trial at a university-affiliated hospital involving 69 samples, 30 of which were positive but not all were identified as such by the test.

Select Voice

Choose your listening speed

Get through articles 2x faster

1.25x

250 WPM

Slow

Average

Fast

00:0000:00

1.25x