COVID-19 test kits pour off South Korean production line

Sample testing devices used in diagnosing the COVID-19 novel coronavirus are checked on a production line as they are prepared to be included in testing kits for shipment at the SD Biosensor bio-diagnostic company near Cheongju.

SD Biosensor is one of five companies in South Korea - which appears to have brought its epidemic under control with a huge "trace, test and treat" effort - making diagnostic tests for the COVID-19 virus.

More than 100 workers in white protective suits staff the production lines, where machines pump out the tests at the rate of 2.5 per second. SD Biosensor began developing its tests in January, soon after the virus first emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan.

Nearly 120 countries are now seeking to secure South Korean-made test kits, either as purchases or humanitarian aid. Seoul was prioritising the US, United Arab Emirates and Indonesia.

The factory on a nondescript industrial estate in Cheongju, south of Seoul, is ramping up production of kits that could be crucial to the world's anti-virus efforts.

It is now making 350,000 kits a day - almost as many as the South Korea has used in the entire outbreak so far - up from 20,000 in January. And managers plan to start 24-hour operations next month, taking daily output to more than a million.

The company is already exporting to eight countries including Germany, Iran, India and Italy, and is in discussions with around 60 more, led by the United States - which has now confirmed more cases than anywhere else in the world.

Devices used in testing for COVID-19 are pass through a production line as they are prepared to be included in testing kits at the SD Biosensor bio-diagnostic company near Cheongju.

Staff members restock a machine with components used in testing for COVID-19 novel coronavirus, on an assembly line making testing kits.

A box used to transport components of COVID-19 novel coronavirus testing kits is labelled by a worker.

Staff members restock a machine with components used in testing for COVID-19 novel coronavirus, on an assembly line making testing kits.

Devices used in testing for COVID-19 novel coronavirus are checked on a production line as they are prepared to be included in testing kits at the SD Biosensor bio-diagnostic company near Cheongju, south of Seoul.

A membrane used to detect and display the presence of the COVID-19 novel coronavirus in samples is displayed on a production line.

COVID-19 testing kits are packaged on a production line at the SD Biosensor bio-diagnostic company near Cheongju.

Sample testing devices used in diagnosing the COVID-19 novel coronavirus are checked on a production line as they are prepared to be included in testing kits for shipment.

COVID-19 novel coronavirus testing kits are packaged on a production line at the SD Biosensor bio-diagnostic company near Cheongju, south of Seoul.

A COVID-19 novel coronavirus testing kit, with multiple individual tests, is displayed at the SD Biosensor bio-diagnostic company in Suwon, south of Seoul.

Staff members monitor a machine dispensing COVID-19 novel coronavirus antigen and antibody diagnostic material onto a membrane, on a production line making virus testing kits.

COVID-19 novel coronavirus testing kits are packaged on a production line at the SD Biosensor bio-diagnostic company near Cheongju, south of Seoul .

Sample testing devices used in diagnosing the COVID-19 novel coronavirus are checked on a production line as they are prepared to be included in testing kits for shipment.

Workers check a machine used to assemble COVID-19 testing kits on a production line at the SD Biosensor bio-diagnostic company near Cheongju.