Nucleic acid test remains 'most important' diagnostic method for novel coronavirus

The nucleic acid test still remains the most important method for diagnosing the infection of the novel coronavirus, said a medical expert Friday.

Wang Guiqiang, director of the infectious disease department under the Peking University First Hospital, said at a press conference in Beijing that the nucleic acid test is vital to early detection, quarantine and providing effective treatments for patients.

The country's capacity for conducting nucleic acid testing has been enhanced significantly, and qualified medical institutions are encouraged to conduct nucleic acid testing to speed up the diagnostic process, Wang said.

He added that China now has enough nucleic acid test reagents in stock for the detection of suspected novel coronavirus cases.

According to a local official of central China's Hubei Province, where the virus was first detected, the province has about 109,000 test reagents in stock and has the ability to test 4,000 to 5,000 samples per day.

Apart from provincial and municipal centers for disease control and prevention, 25 hospitals and 12 qualified third-party institutions are able to conduct nucleic acid testing, said the Hubei Provincial Health Commission.