Israel team to work with India to develop test kits for results in 30 seconds

As the number of COVID-19 cases crossed 12 lakh in the country, Israel has decided to send its research team to India to develop a rapid testing kit for the disease that can give results within 30 seconds, Hindustan Times reported. The team had been working with the Indian side on the development of the kit.

According to a statement issued by the Israel Embassy, the country’s foreign affairs, defence and health ministries will lead the anti-COVID-19 cooperation operation between India and Israel. Merging Israeli technology with Indian development and production capabilities aims to allow a swift resumption of normal life, the Embassy said.

“A special planned flight from Tel Aviv to New Delhi is set to carry a high ranking Israeli defence ministry research and development team which has been working with India’s chief scientist K VijayRaghavan and Defence Research and Development Organisation to develop rapid testing for COVID-19 in under 30 seconds,” it said.

The flight will also bring breakthrough emerging Israeli technologies that have been donated by Israel’s foreign ministry and private sector meant to bolster India’s response to the outbreak. “Finally, the plane will deliver mechanical ventilators that were given special permission by the Government of Israel for export to India,” the statement said.

Since the outbreak of the global pandemic, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have held three telephonic conversations in which they promised mutual assistance in dealing with the virus and committed to joint technological and scientific research between the countries, the statement said.

The Israeli companies chosen by the three ministries to be sent to India are potentially given unique access to one of the largest economies in the world to provide monitoring and treatment technologies while significantly reducing contact between patients and medical staff, the statement said.

(With inputs from agencies)