Georgia to import 50,000 PCR tests from South Korea
PCR is a gold-standard in epidemiology for detecting viral matter in blood samples. Photo: The Ministry of Health.
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The Georgian Ministry of Health will import 50,000 PCR (rapid polymerase chain reaction) antigen tests from South Korea in early May. The rapid tests, produced by the South Korean company SD Biosensor allows to detect specific antigens to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
The antigen test is based on the immunoassay method, which determines the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus antigen in the body (nose and throat) and give results in maximum 30 minutes.
Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister Aleksandre Khvtisiashvili said that Georgia is going to import tests from Germany, Poland and China in the beginning of the next week, though, he did not specify which type of tests will be brought in Georgia.
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Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani has posted on his Twitter account earlier today, expressed his appreciation to South Korea for the cooperation to Georgia:
Would like to praise #ROK gov ???????? in setting from initial stage a leading model for combating #coronavirus, expressing appreciation to Minister Kang Kyung-wha for extended timely cooperation to #Georgia ???????? in flattening the curve @MOFAkr_eng
— David Zalkaliani (@DZalkaliani) April 27, 2020
Georgia received 200,000 rapid polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests from South Korea to diagnose the COVID-19 on April 18. PCR is a gold-standard in epidemiology for detecting viral matter in blood samples.
The number of coronavirus cases stands at 496 in Georgia as of today.
149 people of the 496 have recovered, while six others have died.
4,833 people are under quarantine and 571 others are in hospitals.
Georgia has suspended its agreement with Chinese Bioeasy company as the company recalled its production from the market after several of their rapid tests for COVID-19 showed incorrect results.
Rapid coronavirus tests will be used for people in high risk groups and who display symptoms after testing is carried out in Marneuli and Bolnisi, two regions in eastern Georgia under lockdown.
Georgia will test locals of Marneuli and Bolnisi municipalities in eastern Georgia with 1,000 rapid coronavirus tests, which provide results within an hour and a half. Eventually the country will have a total of 200,000 rapid coronavirus tests.
3,271 individuals have been tested for COVID-19 in Georgia (as of April 7) since January 2020, while the country has had 208 cases so far. A handful of individuals have been tested several times and 3,457 tests have been used in total. In all the cases, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method, a gold-standard in epidemiology for detecting viral matter in blood samples, was used. The method takes just several hours to give results, but is highly accurate.