Breathonix, a spin-off company from the National University of Singapore (NUS), said it is now working with the health ministry to run a deployment trial of the technology at one of the city-state’s border points with Malaysia.
The breath analysis will be carried out alongside the current compulsory COVID-19 antigen rapid test.
The tests would be sold for between S$5-S$20 ($3.76-$15.03) each, depending on the number purchased, said a company representative.
The breath test achieved more than 90% accuracy in a Singapore-based pilot clinical trial, the company said last year.
The Health Sciences Authority’s website confirmed the approval, which the company said was the first such system to secure provisional authorisation in Singapore.
The system uses disposable mouthpieces and is designed to ensure there is no cross-contamination. After blowing into the device, the technology assesses the chemical compounds of the breath to determine whether or not a person is infected.
Any individual screened as positive will need to undergo a confirmatory polymerase chain reaction – REUTERS
