Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SDFA) has authorized the use of laboratory reagents, after being tested, to discover cases of suspected infection with the novel coronavirus. These laboratory reagents enable a diagnostic test for the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), which is done by taking a saliva sample or swab from the patient's mucous membranes to extract DNA from the sample, after that a partial technique called (RT-PCR) is used to detect the virus. SDFA confirmed that the expeditious authorization of these laboratory reagents to diagnose suspected cases and allow its entry and use comes within a series of preventive measures being undertaken by the health system in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to ensure the health of citizens, residents and visitors, and help limit the spread of the virus.
