RT-LAMP is a cheap, rapid, effective, and highly sensitive diagnostic assay for COVID-19 RNA detection. For COVID-19 patients, it can be potentially used for routine screening and point of care testing.

This study aimed to develop one-tube colorimetric reverse transcription-loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) assay by incorporating coronavirus RNA purification, amplification and detection in a single tube for easy detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA.

A combination of silanol-rich magnetic beads-based rapid RNA extraction and quick isothermal amplification in a single tube, bypasses the RNA elution phase and directly amplifies the on-beads RNA molecules with the visualized outcomes.

This assay has a limit of detection as low as 200 copies per mL for sample input volumes of approximately 600 μL. It can be executed in <1 hour from sample collection till the display of the result.

This assay had a high specificity and a 100% concordance with the standard test, i.e. RT-qPCR test after the evaluation of 29 clinical samples.

For visual detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA, RT-LAMP assay serves as a quick and highly sensitive diagnostic test and is specifically appropriate for usage at township hospitals or  community clinics.