英國開始訓練狗檢測新冠病毒，全靠鼻子

圖片來源：視覺中國

犬類數十年來一直被用於檢測毒品、炸彈、屍體，甚至癌症。

據CNN報道，現在英國的一個研究團隊希望狗的靈敏嗅覺能幫助檢測新冠病毒。

倫敦衛生與熱帶醫學院正在利用經過特殊訓練的狗狗進行新的新冠病毒檢測，這種檢測不需要拭子，一嗅即可。

The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine is working with specially trained dogs to develop a new kind of coronavirus test, one that doesn't require a swab, but just a sniff.

這個機構最近發現狗狗可以檢測人體內的瘧疾感染，他們正在研究狗狗是否也可以檢測新冠病毒。

The organization recently discovered canines can detect Malaria infections in humans and they are investigating whether the same is true for COVID-19.

訓練從三月份開始，研究人員要觀察六週來充分確定狗狗是否能勝任這份工作。

The training began in March and researchers are eyeing six weeks as enough to determine if the dogs are up to snuff.

如果檢測順利進行，這些“超級嗅探器”每小時能對多達250人進行病毒檢測。

If the tests go well, these "super sniffers" could be deployed to screen up to 250 people per hour for the virus.

研究人員稱，狗狗檢測不會取代傳統的新冠檢測，但如果新冠試劑盒短缺，需要幾小時，甚至幾天才能出結果的時候，狗狗可以進行補充檢測。

According to researchers, the dog tests won't replace traditional coronavirus testing but will be used as a supplement since COVID-19 tests are in short supply and results can take hours, if not days to come back.

研究人員說此次疫情平息之後，未來狗狗可以被用在機場和其他公共場所，來幫助避免疫情再次爆發。