COVID-19 caused by the SARS-COV-2 virus, and influenza by influenza viruses are respiratory tract infections that display overlapping symptoms. Moreover, novel strains of influenza A and B viruses are unpredictable and may cause pandemics like 1918, 1957, 1968, 1977, 2009 by an H1N1, H2N2, H3N2, H1N1, and H1N1/09 subtypes, respectively. In the event of coinfections of these viruses, especially during the current COVID-19 pandemic, it is imperative to differentiate and identify the exact causative virus for appropriate therapeutic intervention. Although current molecular-based tests offer an accurate and reliable solution to distinguish between influenza and SARS-CoV-2 virus from the same sample, a rapid, cost-effective, and less resource-demanding method is still needed to maximize clinical and societal benefits during pandemic bottlenecks.

Lumex Instruments Canada has developed a rapid, accurate, cost-effective, and less resource-demanding Microchip RT-PCR Influenza and COVID-19 detection system from upper respiratory tract samples (swabs). The test kit employs a pre-loaded microchip kit with the primers & probes lyophilized in the microchip for testing of the Influenza A, B, and SARS-CoV-2, as research use only (RUO) application. The Inf-A primers-probe target matrix (M1) gene of Influenza A virus, Inf-B primers-probe target nonstructural 2 (NS2) gene of Influenza B virus, while N1 primers-probe target nucleocapsid gene (N) gene of SARS-CoV-2 virus. The HsRPP30 primers-probe are used as an internal control targeting RNase P gene that presents in the human genome. The US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has designed RT-PCR assays and published protocols for detection of these viruses.