Ministry prepared to approve Covid-19 breathalysers

By Veena Babulal - May 28, 2021 @ 9:10am

KUALA LUMPUR: The Health Ministry is prepared to consider approving breathalysers that can be used to detect Covid-19.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba said the Medical Device Authority (MDA) would allow applications by suppliers who intend to bring in devices, including Breathonix, which is currently used in Singapore.

"The use of these devices is something that has to be explored in Malaysia as it appears to be a much simpler (testing solution), but the MDA is still waiting for suppliers to submit their applications."

Reuters recently reported that Singapore had provisionally approved Breathonix, a breathalyser test that could detect whether a person was infected with the coronavirus in less than a minute.

The device was developed by a company under the National University of Singapore. It is working with the health authorities to run a deployment trial of the technology at one of the city-state's border points with Malaysia.

It reported that the tests would be priced at between S$5 and S$20 each, depending on the number purchased, said a company representative.

The company had said that the device achieved more than 90 per cent accuracy in a Singapore-based clinical trial.

The system uses disposable mouthpieces and is designed to ensure that there is no cross-contamination. After blowing into the device, the machine will assess the chemical compounds of the breath to determine whether or not a person is infected.

Any individual screened as positive would then need to undergo a confirmatory polymerase chain reaction test, the company said.

On the RTK Antigen self-test, Dr Adham said the government was looking into making the saliva-based test available to the public at pharmacies and healthcare facilities.

He also said similarly, the government was studying if the method could be made available by government agencies, state governments and private companies for their staff.

Dr Adham said the kits would have to fulfil the specificity and sensitivity determined by the ministry for RTK Antigen tests.