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Oct 1, 2020 12:33 AM -

Health Canada gives green light to a rapid test for COVID-19

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A health-care worker does testing at a drive-thru COVID-19 assessment centre at the Etobicoke General Hospital in Toronto on Tuesday, April 21, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

Health Canada has given the green light to a rapid test for COVID-19.

First rapid test for COVID-19 has been approved by HealthCanada.

The Abbott Diagnostics ID Now test has been in use in the US for several months already, and can produce results in less than 13 minutes in the same place a nasal swab is taken from a patient.

Health Canada's approval comes a day after the federal government had signed a deal with Abbott to buy 7.9-million of the test kits.

The products from Abbott are one of several rapid tests being reviewed by Health Canada as COVID-19 cases in several provinces surge to levels not seen since May.

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