German study: dogs can detect coronavirus infection

After a week-long training of dogs with the German army, dogs were able to discover the sound and amazing results of the newly born coronavirus. As a result, airports, sporting events, and more are needed to limit the spread of coronavirus.

Trained dogs can detect new infection with the coronavirus, documented and confirmed, according to a scientific study in Germany.

"These dogs must be trained for a week in order to be able to differentiate between those with COVID-19 and those without," said the University of Veterinary Medicine Hanover, western Germany, Thursday (July 23, 2020).

The institution added: "This method can be used as a complementary step in the examination of infection in public places such as airports and sports forums, border inspection, and major gatherings to further reduce the spread of the virus."

The research team, led by Holger Andreas Falk, of the Higher Institute of Veterinary Medicine in Hanover, tested the capabilities of eight trained dogs at the German Army School "Bundeswehr" in Ulmen, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The team includes specialists from the Higher Medical Institute of Hanover and the university hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf.

The team, which published its research in the "BMC" magazine for infectious diseases, said that after a week-long training, dogs were able to fully detect through saliva and breathing about 94% of those infected in trials involving 1012 people.

The samples were randomly distributed, and neither the dog trainers nor the researchers knew anything about the infected or non-infected among the participants. German Defense Minister Angrett Kramp-Karenbauer is scheduled to visit the Bundeswehr Army Training Center in Ulmen tomorrow, Friday.