Illustrative image of a German Shepherd.

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HECTOR RETAMAL / AFP

A "sniffer" dog experiment, which uses animals trained to smell people infected with the new coronavirus, has provided promising first results, the researchers behind the project in Finland announced on Wednesday. .

Three canines have sniffed as many as 2,200 passengers since the installation of the test cabin in the arrivals hall at Helsinki-Vantaa airport in late September, detecting the virus in 0.6% of travelers.

Although the experiment is set to continue until December, the team says the first results appear broadly in line with the detection rate of PCR tests - also performed on volunteer travelers on arrival.

"We have carried out 16-17,000 PCR tests at the airport and less than one percent is positive," the deputy mayor of Vantaa explained at a press conference.

Accuracy close to 100%

Compared to the results found by the dogs, the PCR tests "are about the same," he continued.

Researchers are currently analyzing how the results of the two methods match each other - including whether dogs have found positive cases in passengers whose infection has been confirmed by a PCR test - and hope to publish their findings by now. the end of the year.

Experiments conducted in the first wave suggested that dogs can detect Covid-19 with near 100% accuracy - and up to five days earlier than a PCR test.

On the passenger side, no reluctance was noted according to the project manager Soile Turunen.

A fourth dog in training

Around 100 travelers a day line up for this free test, which involves passing a special wipe on the skin, then placed in front of the dog's muzzle.

If the sample is negative, the animal will not dwell on it.

A fourth dog, Valo, a German Shepherd, is currently in training to supplement the canine numbers.

Researchers at the University of Helsinki, behind the experiment - together with sniffer dog specialists from the Wise Nose organization - hope their research will convince the government to fund the method and roll it out. in tourist places and other public gatherings.

While sniffer dog tests have been undertaken elsewhere, such as in France, the United Arab Emirates, Russia or Chile, their use in support of Covid-19 detection tests has not yet been widely adopted by the authorities, partly because of a lack of feedback, believe some researchers.

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