TEHRAN – An Iranian knowledge-based company has managed to develop a dual-purpose test cabin both for coronavirus and tuberculosis that provides testing without the need for an additional protective suit.

A laboratory sample has been produced which is undergoing clinical tests to obtain a license from the Ministry of Health, according to the science ministry’s public relations department.

This system minimizes the inconvenience for the medical staff due to the lack of need to wear a personal protective suit, having an H14 high-efficiency particulate absorbing (HEPA) filter, fast sampling, and a sterile cabin using a UV lamp after each use.

The device has very valuable features for medical centers and hospitals in the country.

The operation of this device is based on positive and negative pressure and is like a telephone booth in a portable way. It can be fixed in one place and can be used outdoors or in any other place.

In one case, the patient is placed inside the cabin and by adjusting the negative pressure, special gloves resistant to chemicals are inserted into the cabin and the doctor takes a sample outside the cabin. Conversely, in the second case, the doctor is inside the cabin and the patient is outside, the gloves are adjusted and sampling is performed.

Due to the prevalence of coronavirus and the dangers of infectious disease, as well as the lack of personal protective gowns, this device will have a high demand among medical staff.

This company at Alborz Science and Technology Park is active in the field of production of laboratory, hospital, research, and agricultural equipment and has been able to create jobs for 60 people in the field of technology and knowledge.

Mehdi Kashmiri, director for technology and planning at the science ministry, said in July that about 450 knowledge-based companies were active in the country for manufacturing protective equipment and treatment products to fight the coronavirus.

Production of more than one million face masks per day, production of more than 1.5 liters of disinfectants per day, diagnostic kits, non-contact thermometers, protective clothing, ventilator are among the produces manufactured by these companies, he added.

Iranian-made innovative products in the field of diagnosis, screening, and fighting coronavirus were also unveiled to combat the disease, namely, ozone generator, nanotechnology face shields, disinfection gate, and molecular COVID-19 diagnostic kits.

The number of people diagnosed with coronavirus in Iran reached 343,203 on Sunday, of whom 19,639 have died and 297,486 recovered so far. Over the past 24 hours, 2,133 new cases of people having the virus have been identified, and 147 died, Sima Sadat Lari ministry of health’s spokesman said.

Currently, 3,881 patients with coronavirus are in critical condition, she added.

FB/MG