BEIJING — China's Ministry of Education (MOE) on March 17 said that 22 universities have been racing against time to develop testing products for the novel coronavirus, including detection kits for nucleic acid and antigen and antibody testing.

So far, seven testing kits developed by universities in collaboration with enterprises have been put into clinical use after gaining the approval of the National Medical Products Administration, Lei Chaozi, head of the science and technology department under the MOE, said at a press conference in Beijing.

Apart from meeting the domestic needs for virus testing, the universities' products have played a part in mitigating the surging demand for detection abroad, Lei noted.

On March 12, the West China Hospital of Sichuan University donated nucleic acid testing kits able to test more than 1,000 people to the government of Georgia to aid its battle against the coronavirus. The testing kits, co-developed by Tsinghua University, Sichuan University, and enterprises, can detect six respiratory viruses, including the novel coronavirus.

Moreover, 14 novel coronavirus testing kits developed by five Chinese universities, including Tsinghua University, Sichuan University, and Xiamen University, have obtained the CE marking, which allows them to be marketed across the European Union, Lei noted.

The university-developed testing products have been supplied to more than 10 countries such as Italy, Britain and the Netherlands, the official said.