WASHINGTON – Labcorp began testing for monkeypox Wednesday using CDC’s orthopoxvirus test (which detects all non-smallpox related orthopoxviruses, including monkeypox).
Labcorp is offering the testing at its largest facility in the United States and will be able to accept specimens from anywhere in the country, according to a news release from the Biden administration.
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According to White House officials, Labcorp expects to be able to perform up to 10,000 tests per week, which will double the current capacity provided through CDC’s Laboratory Response Network (LRN).
“The ability of commercial labs to test for monkeypox is a key pillar in our comprehensive strategy to combat this disease,” said CDC Director Rochelle Walensky, M.D., M.P.H. “This will not only increase testing capacity but will make it more convenient for providers and patients to access tests by using existing provider-to-lab relationships.”
Anyone with a rash that looks like monkeypox is urged to talk to their healthcare provider about whether or not they need to get tested, even if they don’t think they had contact with someone who has monkeypox.
Healthcare providers can order the orthopoxvirus test from Labcorp just as they normally would order other tests. The public will not be able to go to a Labcorp lab and submit a specimen. Labcorp will use electronic laboratory reporting (ELR) to report results to jurisdictions as outlined in the CDC reporting guidance.
For more information, go to www.labcorp.com/monkeypox. The latest CDC information on monkeypox is available at www.cdc.gov/monkeypox.