Trained dogs have a high level of accuracy when it comes to smelling and they can smell the distinct odour of people infected with the SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 disease, a new UK study said. The study, done by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), said that specially trained dogs can detect COVID-19 non-invasively with up to 94.3 per cent sensitivity and up to 92 per cent specificity. It found out that dogs were able to detect odour from asymptomatic and symptomatic COVID-infected individuals. This method can detect COVID-19 in large groups of people with great speed and accuracy, even in asymptomatic cases. Dogs can screen passengers at airports, at ports of entry or other sites, an accompanying mathematical model confirms, adding that two dogs can screen 300 passengers during a "Rapid Screen and Test" implementation.

Source: dna July 26, 2021 07:07 UTC