An application that detects the corona virus

New research shows that coughing on your phone can be helpful in diagnosing coronary heart disease. A new smartphone app by ResApp Health Limited, an Australian health technology company, may soon facilitate the COVID-19 diagnosis process by asking people to cough into their phones. Like a similar solution, ResApp uses machine learning to analyze cough patterns and determine if a person has the coronavirus.

In a pair of clinical trials of 741 patients from the United States (NCT04864535) and India (CTRI / 2021/09/036581), ResApp was able to detect COVID-19 with 92% accuracy. The company recommends it as an instant method for screening Covid-19 before other experimental forms that require holes in a person’s mouth or nasal cavity. This method can be a great option for places that need frequent testing, such as shopping malls, hospitals, offices, stadiums and other public places that attract a large number of visitors.

Faster than conventional COVID-19 tests
The company claims that the test takes less than 30 seconds to perform and shows the results without any environmental risk from the biowaste produced. ResApp also has the potential to bypass a significant amount of logistics costs and problems typically associated with traditional testing. Medical researchers are still trying to find fast, but more importantly, reliable ways to diagnose COVID-19. Two common methods used today to diagnose COVID-19 in patients are rapid antigen testing (RAT) and a process called RT-PCR.

RAT test detects antigens in a person’s nasal cavity. COVID-19 self-test kits use the RAT method. Using RT-PCR is not as fast as the simpler RAT method, but with more extensive testing, more accuracy is obtained. RT-PCR tests a sample for specific Covid-19 genetic markers and gives health officials and patients clear information about whether treatment is necessary.

Pfizer invests in Corona detection application
Although the program can detect if a person is infected with COVID-19, it cannot detect which type of virus the person is infected with. The company notes that the app has proven consistent in detecting Covid-19 during the rise of both the Omicron and Delta. The results of this study have not yet been published in any medical journal or peer reviewed. When this happens, we will have a more reliable analysis of program reliability.

Meanwhile, drug giant Pfizer has approached ResApp Health Limited for a $ 75 million purchase offer. Pfizer Australia is set to buy a 100% stake in ResApp for about $ 0.084 per share, according to 9News. ResApp also has several other programs under its umbrella to easily diagnose respiratory diseases by monitoring people’s respiratory characteristics.