17.03.2020, TASS
MOSCOW, March 17. /TASS/. Production of the world’s first portable coronavirus test system is slated for production in April, Russian President Vladimir Putin said during his meeting with the Cabinet Tuesday.
"The Russian Direct Investment Fund will finance the joint research with our Japanese partners, so that we can begin production of the express tests in April already. Potentially, it would be the world’s first portable [coronavirus] express test," Putin underscored.
According to Putin, Russia pays necessary attention to the task to massively increase coronavirus test system production; specialists from various facilities work on it.
Work on the coronavirus vaccine is also underway, Putin said, adding that Rospotrebnadzor specialists work on it, with cooperation with St. Petersburg Institute of Vaccines and Serums.
"Russia has all necessary competence in this field, a scientific base to solve this task in the nearest time. Previous experience of our specialists’ work indicates that they are capable to solve tasks of this kind and of this scale," Putin concluded, referring to the test systems and the vaccine.
Earlier, Russian Direct Investment Fund reported that the coronavirus express test technology has been developed together by Russian and Japanese companies and 9 scientists. The new system would allow mass swift testing beyond laboratories, providing highly precise result in just 30 minutes. The Fund noted that these tests are portable mini laboratories that look like small suitcases that could be used anywhere.