LONDON, Aug 3 (Reuters) - Millions of COVID-19 tests able to
detect the virus within 90 minutes will be rolled out to British
hospitals, care homes and laboratories to boost capacity in the
coming months, the country's health minister said on Monday.
They will comprise 5.8 million tests using DNA and 450,000
swab tests. Neither will need to be administered by a health
professional, said Matt Hancock.
"The fact these tests can detect flu as well as COVID-19
will be hugely beneficial as we head into winter, so patients
can follow the right advice to protect themselves and others,"
he said.
Separately, the publicly-funded National Health Service said
it would be offering "COVID-friendly" treatments to cancer
patients, including drugs that do not have a big impact on the
immune system.
Britain's healthcare system has come under severe strain
during peaks in the country's COVID-19 outbreak, which has
killed more than 46,000 people, the fourth highest toll in the
world, according to a Reuters tally collated on Sunday.
(Reporting by Costas Pitas; editing by John Stonestreet)