By Canadian Press

Dogs trained to detect COVID-19 in Vancouver health-care facilities

Aug 12, 2021 | 11:24 AM

VANCOUVER – Researchers in Vancouver are working to unleash a new weapon they hope will defeat the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19.

The canine scent detection program at Vancouver Coastal Health is expanding to including dogs trained to sniff out COVID-19.

The program, formed five years ago to detect and reduce cases of the easily spread bacteria C. difficile, has added three new dogs capable of identifying COVID-19.

The two Labrador retrievers, Micro and Yoki, as well as Finn, an English springer spaniel, underwent six months of training and all three are now certified to detect the virus.

A statement from Vancouver Coastal Health says identifying pathogens like the COVID-19 virus or C. difficile bacteria in health-care settings can reduce infection rates and improve quality of care.

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Dogs have more than 300 million olfactory receptors, compared with 400 in humans, and the health authority says the finely tuned ability to detect COVID-19 could also make dogs invaluable at airport screening sites, on cruise ships and at public events.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 12, 2021.

The Canadian Press