Dogs might be able to detect coronavirus in humans, researchers say
By: Team Ifairer | Posted: 18-04-2020
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The aim is for the dogs to be able to detect the virus in even asymptomatic people, to determine whether they need to be tested, Dr. Claire Guest, CEO and co-founder of Medical Detection Dogs, said in the press release.
"In principle, we're sure that dogs could detect COVID-19," Guest said. "We are now looking into how we can safely catch the odor of the virus from patients and present it to the dogs."
Dogs can also detect subtle changes in skin temperature, which means they could potentially tell if someone has a fever, the researchers say. They suggest trained dogs could be used at travel checkpoints to identify if people entering the country have a fever.
If the research is successful, the dogs could be used to help prevent a re-emergence of coronavirus after the current epidemic is brought under control, Professor Steve Lindsay at Durham University says in the press release. CBS News has reached out to the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and Medical Detection Dogs for more information.