IAEA sends Egypt two rapid coronavirus diagnostic testing kits

Egypt has received rapid coronavirus diagnostic testing kits from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Egyptian ambassador to Vienna announced on Wednesday.

Ambassador Amr Amer said in a statement that the IAEA has provided Egypt two COVID-19 rapid diagnostic devices, known as RT-PCR, which involve nuclear-derived detection techniques, along with two portable X-ray imaging devices.

The IAEA assistance is part of efforts to help nations worldwide in their fight against the spread of the coronavirus.

The diagnostic technique, known as real time reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (real time RT-PCR), can help detect and identify the novel coronavirus accurately within hours in humans, as well as in animals that may also host it, according to an IAEA’s March statement.

“Real time RT-PCR is an established and accurate method to detect pathogens.” said Ivancho Naletoski, technical officer at the Joint FAO/IAEA Division for Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, in a statement earlier this month.