UK study shows rapid test has diagnostic sensitivity over 99%

LONDON (Reuters) - A new rapid test for COVID-19 has over 99% diagnostic sensitivity in early studies, scientists assessing the test at the University of Oxford said on Friday.

Public Health England official Steve Pullan said that early data indicated the LamPORE test was a credible alternative to conventional PCR-based diagnostics.

"The positive clinical specimens came mostly from patients with symptomatic infection, and among these LamPORE had a diagnostic sensitivity of 99.1%," the University of Oxford said.

"Among negative clinical specimens, including 153 with other respiratory pathogens detected, LamPORE had a diagnostic specificity of 99.6%."

(Reporting by William James and Alistair Smout)