Nigeria, July 14 -- Timothy Amukele, Johns Hopkins University and Mustafa Barbhuiya

COVID-19 continues to infect millions of people as the death toll mounts. There is currently no cure which means that controlling this disease requires a multi-pronged approach. This includes personal protection such as masks, social distancing and the isolation of infected individuals and their contacts.

Testing detects infected individuals, especially the 45% of people who do not show symptoms, but can spread the disease. Testing also helps us to know who has recovered from the disease to fully grasp its impact. It is a key part of a multi-pronged approach to control the COVID-19 pandemic.

An ideal test for the diagnosis of COVID-19 would be cheap, ac...