The Zverev plant of Krasnogorsk, Russia, has introduced at the Army 2020 conference the first device in Russia to detect viruses, including COVID-19, in the air, Aleksandr Novikov, the company's director general, told RIA Novosti.

According to him, the "Detector-BIO" medical-bacteriological device can determine the presence of not only viruses, but also of bacteria as well as of toxins in the air. "With such a device, the automatic analysis of the air sample takes 10 to 30 minutes, depending on the content of pathogens and other factors," Novikov said.

The state-run testing of this device ended in June, the patent for which is just being prepared, so it is too early to talk about placing orders for it. "It is important that this device can respond to various pathogens in the air, so it can be used both for civilian purposes and for ensuring microbiological safety," said the general director of the plant.