A new rapid test has been developed in Germany, which can diagnose the coronavirus in two and a half hours.

Technology company Bosch is helping medical facilities such as doctors’ offices, hospitals, laboratories and health centres with its new COVID-19 rapid test.

The test can diagnose 10 respiratory pathogens simultaneously for different diagnosis, and meets the requirements of the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Developed in just six weeks, it can detect a coronavirus infection in patients in under two and a half hours - measured from the time the sample is taken to the time the result arrives.

The test can also be performed directly at a point of care, which eliminates the need to transport samples.

In various laboratory tests, the test delivered results with an accuracy of over 95%

Image: Bosch

A sample is taken from a patient’s nose or throat using a swab. Then the cartridge is inserted into the device for analysis.

Bosch says its Vivalytic analyzer can perform up to 10 tests in the space of 24 hours.

This means it takes just 100 devices to evaluate up to 1,000 tests per day.

Dr Volkmar Denner, chairman of the board of management, says: "Time is of the essence in the fight against coronavirus.

"Reliable, rapid diagnosis directly on site with no back and forth - that is the great advantage of our solution, which we see as another example of technology that is ‘Invented for life".

It also allows a single sample to be tested not just for COVID-19, but also for nine other respiratory diseases - including influenza A and B simultaneously.

The test will be available in Germany starting in April, with other markets in Europe and elsewhere to follow.

Dr Denner adds: "We want the Bosch rapid COVID-19 test to play a part in containing the coronavirus pandemic as quickly as possible.

"It will speed up the identification and isolation of infected patients".