The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Emergency Use Authorisation for United States-based Abbott's (NYSE: ABT) Alinity m Resp-4-Plex molecular assay to detect and differentiate SARS-CoV-2, influenza A, influenza B and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in one test, it was reported on Friday.

This test is CE Marked and is available in countries outside the United States.

Alinity says that the healthcare provider can conduct the test with one swab specimen (anterior nasal or nasopharyngeal) or an anterior nasal swab specimen self-collected at a healthcare location from individuals suspected by their provider of respiratory viral infection consistent with COVID-19. The test is to operate on the company's Alinity m system, claimed to be the most advanced high-volume laboratory molecular instrument that uses Polymerase Chain Reaction technology.