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Sniffer dogs could prove to be an unlikely weapon in the fight against Covid-19.
Experts believe that specially trained animals could help identify people carrying the deadly virus – even before they show symptoms – outside hospital A&Es or as they land at UK airports.
Trained dogs are able to pick up chemicals called volatile organic compounds, which are linked to specific diseases, in samples of breath, urine and faeces.
They have already been used by researchers to identify malaria, some cancers and Parkinson’s.
Professor James Logan, head of the department of disease control at The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, says: ‘We know that other respiratory diseases change our body odour so there is a very high chance that dogs will be able to detect this virus.
‘If this could become a diagnostic tool, it has the potential to revolutionise our response to Covid-19.’
It’s hoped dogs can be trained in a matter of weeks to sniff it out. Dr Claire Guest, chief executive of charity Medical Detection Dogs, says: ‘There’s no reason why this wouldn’t work for Covid-19.
‘It would be fast, effective and non-invasive and make sure the limited NHS testing resources are only used where they are really needed.’
The dogs could be ready within just six weeks.
First researchers need to establish how to safely catch samples of the virus from patients infected with Covid-19, so it can be used to train the animals.
Dailymail