45-Minute COVID-19 test to hit market next week

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. (WPVI) -- A new 45-minute test for the coronavirus is expected to be available in limited supplies next week.

The Xpert Xpress test was developed by CEPHEID, a U.S. molecular diagnostics company.

A Rutgers University team which evaluated the Xpert Xpress brand test said it's able to detect the virus at very low levels.

A swab is used to collect a specimen from the back of the nasal cavity.

The specimen then goes into cartridge, which is placed in a machine that reads the genetic material and viral levels.

And it doesn't need a central lab for processing, so there's no need to wait for days for results.

The Rutgers team says it could change medical decisions, including how to triage patients, when to isolate and how to treat.

Those scientists also believe it could be used in the field to detect small outbreaks before large-scale ones occur

For more information on CEPHEID's test, CLICK HERE.