MOSCOW, December 19 (Sputnik) – A new and improved prototype biohazard suit specifically tailored for viral outbreaks such as Ebola has been designed by researchers at Johns Hopkins Biomedical Engineering Laboratory for Innovation and Design, reports AFP.
Researchers have developed a new suit in order to reduce the risk of infection for health workers fighting the dealy Ebola epidemic.
"I don't want to say this is a profound revolution in PPE (personal protective equipment) suits," professor Youseph Yazdi, director of the university's Center for Bioengineering Innovation and Design, told AFP. "But you don't want rocket science. You want simple improvements that can actually save lives, have an impact on health and safety… but get to the field quick," he said while demonstrating the bright yellow prototype mounted on a mannequin.
The suit is made of Tyvek, a DuPont synthetic fabric already widely used for industrial coveralls, heavy-duty mailing envelopes and weather-resistant "house wrap" for buildings under construction.
"It resists tearing, it resists liquid penetration so you don't get any splashes going in, but it also breathes, so it does have some degree of comfort," Yazdi said.
Yazdi expects the new suit should sell for $12 to $17 apiece, almost the same price as previous models.
Of the nearly 7,000 people who have so far died of Ebola, at least 365 were healthcare workers, the World Health Organization said this week, reports AFP.
