TEHRAN – An Iranian technology company has developed an antigen-based rapid detection kit, which can detect the Omicron variant in less than 20 minutes, Mehr news agency reported on Thursday.

The company has developed an antigen-based N and S rapid detection kit that simultaneously detects two proteins of spike and nucleocapsid, which is the first of its kind in the world, and greatly increases the accuracy of coronavirus detection, in addition to detecting different mutants of the virus.

So far, 43 cases of omicrons have been identified in the country. Last year, as the first manufacturer of COVID-19 antigen-based diagnostic kits during the pandemic, the company was one of the top three manufacturers of this kit in the world.

By daily production of 200,000 test kits, the needs of health centers have been met nationwide.

Omicron, which has raised global fears of a surge in infections, was first detected in southern Africa earlier this month and has prompted governments across the globe to impose travel restrictions and take other measures to try and contain it.

So far, 43 cases of omicrons have been identified in the country and Tehran recorded the highest number of infections.

Iran’s health minister Bahram Einollahi said last week that the rapid spread of Omicron may pose serious threats to the country although he insisted that authorities had identified few cases infected with the variant.

Einollahi said that Iran has two “golden weeks” to expand booster vaccination coverage to more people in order to prevent a potential explosion in the number of infections with Omicron in early January.

FB/MG