Ebola: Japanese researchers develop a 30-minute Ebola test

Another breakthrough has been made in the fight against the Ebola virus as Japanese researchers today (September 2) announced that they had developed a new and simpler method of detecting the presence of the deadly virus in 30 minutes.

Professor Jiro Yasuda of Nagasaki University, Japan and his team say their process is cheaper than the system currently used in West Africa.

Yasuda said the team developed what he called a “primer”, which amplifies only those genes specific to the Ebola virus found in a blood sample or other bodily fluid.