SCIENTISTS in Oxford say they have developed 'rapid testing technology' for Covid-19.

The test is capable of giving results in just half an hour, which is three times faster than the current testing method, which takes at least one and a half hours.

The team now hope to develop the test into an 'integrated device' so it can be used at clinics, airports and even at home.

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It has been created by experts from Oxford University's engineering science department, and the Oxford Suzhou Centre for Advanced Research in China.

Prof Zhanfeng Cui and Prof Wei Huang are leading the team to improve test capabilities as the virus spreads. 

Prof Huang said: "The test has built-in checks to prevent false positives or negatives and the results have been highly accurate."

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Researchers say the test is 'very sensitive', meaning patients in the early stages of infection could be identified sooner.

It only requires a simple heat block, which 'maintains a constant temperature for RNA reverse transcription and DNA amplification'.

The results can be read using just the naked eye.

Prof Cui, the director of the China-based centre, said he was 'proud' of the team and grateful to Shenzhen Luohou People’s Hospital for allowing testing there.

Oxford University is seeking donations to fund its continued research into Covid-19.

A plea on its website states:

"Funding for Oxford’s COVID-19 research requires unprecedented speed, scope and ambition. Support from Government, corporations, trusts and foundations will be crucial to the development of a vaccine and the subsequent delivery of new and effective drugs to combat the new virus. Alongside those traditional sources of funding, philanthropic donations of any size will have real and rapid impact, allowing us to be agile in our response, to accelerate this time-critical research, and ensure that Oxford’s solution will be as effective and swift as possible. We hope that you will share our conviction that advancing this work as urgently as possible is medically, economically and morally essential."

The university sent an email to some science staff this week, urging anyone with microbiology expertise to consider helping out with the coronavirus research.