tracking dog, Finland | Sniffer dogs detect coronavirus in humans in seconds

In Finland, sniffer dogs have been used to detect people infected with the coronavirus. The pilot test is now taking place at Helsinki International Airport.

A dog can detect the presence of coronavirus in ten seconds, and the entire process takes less than a minute to complete, according to Anna Hielm-Björkman of the University of Helsinki.

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– It is very promising and if everything goes according to plan, dogs will probably be a good method of detection in other places, such as hospitals, residences and sporting and cultural events, he tells The Guardian. In Norway, TV 2 reported the case for the first time.

After luggage is collected, arriving international passengers are asked to wipe their skin with a napkin. This is placed in a small container that is lined up next to several containers containing control fragrances. The dog then begins to sniff and report the findings, either by whining, kicking, or lying down.

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When reporting findings, the passenger is advised to undergo a free standard polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, using a nasal stick, to verify the dog’s judgment.

It reveals infection even several days before symptoms.

In preliminary tests at the university, the dogs, which had previously been used to detect diseases such as cancer and diabetes, were able to identify the virus with nearly 100 percent accuracy, even days before the patient developed symptoms.

Researchers are not yet sure what exactly dogs smell when they discover the virus. A French study published in June concluded that there was “very high evidence” that the smell of sweat in people infected with corona was different from those without the virus, and that dogs could detect that difference.

Superior laboratory tests

Dogs can also identify the virus from a much smaller molecular sample than PCR tests, according to Finnish experts. Dogs only need 10 to 100 molecules to detect the presence of the virus compared to laboratory equipment that needs at least 18 million molecules.

According to the authorities of Vantaa, the city where Helsinki International Airport is located, the pilot program, which will last for four months, costs around three million crowns. It is significantly lower than for laboratory-based test methods.

Although the coronavirus is known to infect mink and cats, dogs do not have the receptors necessary for the virus to easily establish itself and are therefore very difficult to infect, according to Hielm-Björkman.

Various countries in progress with sniffer dogs

A Finnish organization that specializes in tracing animal training, Wise Nose, trains a total of 16 dogs for the project, of which 10 are expected to be able to work at the airport.

Researchers from countries like Australia, France, Germany and the UK are reportedly working on similar projects, but Finland is the first country in Europe to put dogs to work to detect the virus. A similar test pilot began at Dubai International Airport in August.