Hawaii’s COVID-sniffing dogs training to detect delta variant

HONOLULU (KHON2) — Hawaii’s COVID-sniffing dogs are now training to sniff out the delta strain of COVID-19.

Assistance Dogs of Hawaii recently wrapped up their study with the Queen’s Medical Center.

The group determined these dogs can spot COVID with a 90% to 100% accuracy rate, but there is more work to be done.

“Delta variant has changed things,” said Maurice Maurer, Assistance Dogs of Hawaii’s executive director. “We’re needing to get more samples of people that have the delta variant. We’re hopeful that more people will be training COVID detection dogs and utilizing them at places like hospitals, airports, schools and really anywhere there are large, public gatherings.”

Assistance Dogs of Hawaii said it is planning to work with local hospitals again for this next phase of training.