A coronavirus test that provides results in just 45 minutes has been given the go-ahead.

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved the rapid diagnostic test to be used in American hospitals and emergency rooms.

It was developed by Cepheid, a California-based molecular diagnostics company.

According to reports it will be shipped to hospitals next week.

Currently, patients are being forced to wait up to weeks to get their results back resulting in an agonising wait.

But the fight against the outbreak could be handed a huge boost if results are given much sooner.

It will need approval by UK authorities if it is to be implemented in Britain.

This week a test that revealed COVID-19 without symptoms was unveiled by Number 10.

The government's chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, said work on the test is "progressing very fast".

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: "The great thing about having a test to see whether you've had it enough, is suddenly a green light goes on above your head and you can go back to work safe and confident in the knowledge that you are most unlikely to get it again.

"So for an economic point of view, from a social point of view, it really could be a game-changer.

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"You can really see the potential of that advance, which, as I say, is coming down the track."

Coronavirus has now infected more than 300,000 people worldwide with more than 13,000 deaths.

Yesterday, the UK death toll reached 233 with more than 5,000 cases.

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  Coronavirus is 'spreading through petrol pumps' as motorists told to wear gloves

On Friday, Johnson dramatically ordered the closure of pubs, clubs, restaurants, theatres and gyms.

He said: "Unless we act together, unless we make the heroic and collective national effort to slow the spread – then it is all too likely that our own NHS will be similarly overwhelmed.

"The Italians have a superb health-care system. And yet their doctors and nurses have been completely overwhelmed by the demand."

• Coronavirus
• Boris Johnson
• Queen
• NHS
• Pubs
• Spain

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