Iranian researchers studying cough patterns for alternative coronavirus diagnosis

A team of post-grad students at the University of Tehran are researching a potential new way of diagnosing the coronavirus infection using cough patterns, a report said Wednesday.

The Iranian university team of Masters and PhD students are being supervised by professor Reshad Hosseini, Iran's semi-official Fars News Agency (FNA) reported. 

According to the report, the team have previously released a study on the potential diagnosis of autism among children by looking at crying patterns.

Research executive Hadi Moradi told the agency that two US and UK universities were conducting similar studies related to the cough patterns of Covid-19 patients.

A dry cough is listed among other common symptoms of a coronavirus infection, including fever and shortness of breath.

On Wednesday, coronavirus infections in Iran totalled 76,389, while deaths recorded reached 4,777, according to official numbers. Iranian researchers in the US estimate the numbers to be much higher than disclosed.

The main testing method being used in the global fight against the pandemic currently is the polymerise chain reaction (PCR), which scans for genetic material collected, most commonly, from a throat swab. 

Read also: Iran's Revolutionary Guards claim to have invented 'magnetic technology' to detect coronavirus from 100 metres

Saliva samples, liquids from the lower respiratory tract and stool samples can also be used for PCR tests.

Another form of testing uses blood samples to test for antibodies formed after infection.

Last week, Iranian Health Minister Saeed Namaki expressed hopes that the disease would be controlled in Iran by late May and called for adherence to prevention measures.

The country is now producing over a million protective masks a day to help curb the spread of the virus, according to the Iranian Food and Drug Organisation.

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