WHO announces rapid covid-19 tests for low- and middle-income countries

China says it has WHO support for vaccination plan 0:41

(CNN) -

WHO announced an agreement to make rapid tests for covid-19 available to low- and middle-income countries around the world.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, said that “a substantial proportion of these rapid tests (120 million) will be available to low- and middle-income countries.

These tests provide reliable results in approximately 15 to 30 minutes, instead of hours and days, at a lower price, with less sophisticated equipment.

Tedros said during a news conference Monday that these "vital" tests will help expand the capacity to evaluate cases in remote areas, "which do not have laboratory facilities and enough trained health workers to perform PCR tests."

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He added: “High-quality rapid tests show us where the virus is hiding, which is key to quickly tracing and isolating contacts and breaking chains of transmission.

Testing is a critical tool for governments seeking to reopen economies and ultimately save both lives and livelihoods.

The first orders are expected to be placed already this week.

Rapid tests are key, but they don't solve everything

Peter Sands, executive director of the Global Fund, said WHO rapid tests are invaluable as a complement to PCR tests, but cautioned that they are not "a magic bullet."

"Although they are a little less accurate, they are much faster, cheaper and do not require a laboratory," he explained.

"Being able to implement quality antigen RDTs, rapid diagnostic tests, will be a significant step forward in enabling countries to contain and combat covid-19," added Sands.

Sands said these tests will help low- and middle-income countries "close the dramatic gap in testing between rich and poor countries."

“Right now, high-income countries are running 292 tests per day for every 100,000 people.

For upper-middle-income countries, that number is 77. For lower-middle-income countries, 61, and for low-income countries, 14, ”Sands said, although he did not provide further details on the source of that data.

Dr John Nkengasong, CDC Africa Director, welcomed the arrival of the WHO rapid testing as it would allow 'healthcare workers to quickly isolate cases and treat them while tracing their contacts to cut the chain of transmission".

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