This coffee mug-size device developed by the team in the University of the Philippines is another milestone in the campaign of the country against dengue. Recently, a team of scientists from the Philippines also formulated the first ever anti-dengue drug as the first in the world.
Photo credit: pgc.up website
This "Lab-in-a-Mug" or the Biotek M Dengue Kit was developed under the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Dr. Raul Destura and his team has been able to develop a faster and cheaper diagnostic kit that can detect dengue in as short as one hour.
“Dengue is dangerous when not treated early. The standard test for dengue, Polymerase Chain Reaction test, costs too high for the marginalised sector who are the most commonly affected by dengue infection. It also takes at least 24 hours to know the results,” Dr Raul V. Destura said.
Over the years, the Philippines has the highest number of cases and confirmed casualties caused by deadly dengue virus coming from mosquito across the Southeast Asia.
Last year the Department of Health declares the national dengue epidemic, as it recorded 86% increase from 222,849 cases in January 1 to November 30, 2018 to 414,532 cases in 2019. Death tolls also rose from 1,122 in 2018 to 1,546 in 2019.
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