Covid: Sniffer dogs could bolster screening at airports

Sniffer dogs could contribute to efforts to prevent the spread of Covid as society reopens, according to scientists. As part of a trial, dogs were trained to recognise a distinctive odour produced by people with the virus, but undetectable to the human nose. This could come in useful for screening at airports or mass events. But the dogs' findings would have to be confirmed by lab testing, the researcher said. Although the dogs correctly picked up 88% of coronavirus cases, they also incorrectly flagged 14% of people as having the virus when no Covid was present. Dogs can have up to 100,000 times the smelling ability of humans and have long been used to sniff out drugs and explosives. Recent research has shown dogs - particularly breeds like spaniels and retrievers - can detect the unique scents of diseases including cancer, Parkinson's and malaria.<br/>