Ahmed El Sherif

The authority said that it is currently collaborating with Enpy, a Dubai-based startup that specialises in medical artificial Intelligence (AI), to improve remote patient monitoring.

The smartphone-enabled LooK SPOT test scans for nucleocapsid protein from SARS-CoV-2 in nasal swabs, with results reportedly available in five to eight minutes.

Automating and centralising medical screenings via an app, and providing a completely contactless airport experience are two of the latest introductions by the UAE flag carrier.

The approval of the tests comes as new cases of COVID-19 recorded today reached an all-time daily high – sparking fears of a new lockdown in the United Arab Emirates.

The aim is to use the technology to track daily patient data and “plan interventional strategies in real-time to avoid complications of the disease,” the centre said.

While on-demand, at-home PCR testing has been available for some time on healthcare-specific apps and portals, this is the first time a “general services” app in the UAE offers fully government-approved testing.

A joint venture between the UAE’s Mubadala Development Company and Switzerland’s Medgate AG, the centre was assessed on its quality of coding, collection and submission of clinical data, including during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The offerings, aimed at improving patient communication, have been developed by intelligent commerce and customer service software provider, Novomind MEA.

The Abu Dhabi-based company is reportedly in talks to co-develop a COVID-19 test that can detect positive cases of the coronavirus from exhaled nasal air.

The aim of the electronic system is to ensure medicines are dispensed according to the correct procedures set by authorities, as well as to prevent counterfeit drugs.