A health worker checks coronavirus test kit as the world deal through COVID-19 outbreak.
Amid the coronavirus outbreak in the world when a number of healthcare and medical organisations are working on to find a vaccine, the US Food and Drug Administration has approved the first at-home COVID-19 test kit, which is expected to bring coronavirus testing to the doorsteps of every household. The first at-home test kit has been developed by LabCorp, a US company which has a network of medical laboratories across the country. It costs USD 119 in the United States.
"This is a test where under certain circumstances with doctor supervision, a test can be mailed to a patient, and the patient can perform the self-swab and then mail it back and get the results after that time all under the guidance of a licensed physician,” FDA Commissioner Stephen M Hahn told reporters at a White House news conference.
Earlier this week, Adam Schechter, president and CEO of LabCorp said that its at-home collection kits are designed to make it easier and safer to test healthcare workers and first responders during this important time.
The authorisation permits nasal swab specimens to be collected at home using the test home collection kit if recommended by a healthcare provider after completing a COVID-19 questionnaire, LabCorp said.
US accounts for over one fourth of global COVID-19 deaths
The United States accounts for more than one fourth of the global COVID-19 deaths and over one-third of the total number of people infected with the deadly virus, latest figures revealed on Friday. The coronavirus pandemic that started from Wuhan City in China in November, 2019 has so far killed more than 195,000 people across the world and infected more than 27 lakh.
The United States, which has been the worst hit by coronavirus alone accounts the highest number so far; wherein more than 9.2 lakh Americans have tested positive for COVID-19 and the fatalities count on Friday stood at 51,000, according to the Johns Hopkins University.
In fact, the number of COVID-19 cases in the US is more than the next six countries taken together: Spain (219,764), Italy (192,994), France (159,495), Germany (154,545), United Kingdom (144,635) and Turkey (104,912).
(With inputs from agencies)
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