Labrador%20retrievers%20join%20the%20fight%20against%20COVID-19%20in%20Thailand
- Thailand has deployed a new team of canine-virus detecting squad to fight the tough battle against coronavirus
- Six Labrador retrievers have been inducted to the COVID-19 task force and trained to test samples from a Bangkok university
- In the past two weeks, the dogs have tested more than 1,000 samples
Thailand%20has%20deployed%20a%20whole%20new%20team%20of%20canine-virus%20detecting%20squad%20to%20fight%20the%20tough%20battle%20against%20coronavirus%20as%20the%20Asian%20country%20faces%20surge%20in%20COVID-19%20cases%2C%20with%20clusters%20found%20in%20slum%20communities%2C%20construction%20sites%20and%20large%20markets.%26nbsp%3B
Six%20Labrador%20retrievers%20have%20been%20inducted%20to%20the%20COVID-19%20task%20force%2C%20the%20dogs%20have%20been%20trained%20by%20researchers%20from%20Chulalongkorn%20University%20in%20Bangkok.%20The%20retrievers%20have%20been%20trained%20to%20sniff%20out%20a%20unique%20odour%20that%20COVID-19%20patients%20produce%20as%20they%20sweat%2C%20researchers%20said.%26nbsp%3B
%3Cstrong%3EAlso%20Read%3A%20%3C/strong%3E%3Ca%20target%3D%22_blank%22%20rel%3D%22noopener%20noreferrer%22%20href%3D%22https%3A//opoyi.com/how-to-cope-up-with-stress-of-covid-pandemic-related-news%22%3E%3Cstrong%3EHow%20to%20cope%20up%20with%20stress%20of%20COVID%20pandemic-related%20news%3C/strong%3E%3C/a%3E
In%20the%20past%20two%20weeks%2C%20the%20dogs%20have%20tested%20more%20than%201%2C000%20samples%20and%20the%20results%20have%20been%20impressive%20so%20far.
After%20sniffing%20the%20sweat%20samples%20placed%20in%20containers%2C%20the%20dogs%20can%20tell%2C%20which%20samples%20are%20COVID-19%20infections.%20If%20the%20samples%20don%27t%20have%20trace%20of%20the%20infection%2C%20the%20dog%20will%20walk%20pass%20the%20sample.%20If%20found%20positive%2C%20the%20Labrador%20will%20sit%20in%20front%20of%20it.
Head%20of%20research%20team%20Professor%20Kaywalee%20Chatdarong%20said%20that%20she%20was%20aware%20that%20other%20countries%20have%20been%20using%20dogs%20to%20identify%20COVID-19%20infections%20such%20as%20UAE%2C%20Finland%2C%20Germany%20and%20India%2C%20but%20had%20no%20idea%20if%20it%20would%20work%20in%20Thailand%20due%20to%20country%27s%20spicy%20and%20flavourful%20cuisine.
%3Cstrong%3EAlso%20Read%3A%20%3C/strong%3E%3Ca%20target%3D%22_blank%22%20rel%3D%22noopener%20noreferrer%22%20href%3D%22https%3A//opoyi.com/myanmar-junta-threatens-to-dissolve-suu-kyis-party-over-election-fraud%22%3E%3Cstrong%3EMyanmar%20junta%20threatens%20to%20dissolve%20Suu%20Kyi%27s%20party%20over%20election%20fraud%3C/strong%3E%3C/a%3E
The%20canine%20testers%20add%20a%20big%20element%20of%20convenience%20because%20they%20can%20check%20samples%20from%20people%20who%20can%27t%20go%20outside%20home%20for%20getting%20tested.%20A%20volunteer%20said%2C%20%u201CPeople%20can%20simply%20put%20cotton%20balls%20underneath%20their%20armpits%20to%20collect%20sweat%20samples%20and%20send%20them%20to%20the%20lab.%20And%20the%20result%20is%20quite%20accurate.%u201D%26nbsp%3B
The%20research%20team%20plans%20to%20send%20the%20dogs%20out%20to%20communities%20suspected%20of%20new%20COVID%20hotspots.%20The%20dogs%20will%20work%20inside%20a%20mobile%20unit%2C%20while%20the%20collecting%20team%20can%20comb%20through%20the%20community%20samples.%26nbsp%3B
%3Ca%20class%3D%22mention%22%20data-mention%3D%22%23dog%22%20data-user-id%3D%22iDZA6Wcfrtg5%22%20href%3D%22/topic/dog%22%3E%23dog%3C/a%3E%20%3Ca%20class%3D%22mention%22%20data-mention%3D%22%23Thailand%22%20data-user-id%3D%225yIqpMCqnSui%22%20href%3D%22/topic/thailand%22%3E%23Thailand%3C/a%3E%20%3Ca%20class%3D%22mention%22%20data-mention%3D%22%23covid19%22%20data-user-id%3D%22S9X5iTjQfBZD%22%20href%3D%22/topic/covid19%22%3E%23covid19%3C/a%3E%20%3Ca%20class%3D%22mention%22%20data-mention%3D%22%23Testing%22%20data-user-id%3D%22sxlz034IQD16%22%20href%3D%22/topic/testing%22%3E%23Testing%3C/a%3E%26nbsp%3B
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