Labcorp ( NYSE: LH ) said it will begin testing for monkeypox using the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) orthopoxvirus test, in an effort to fight the monkeypox outbreak in the country.
The CDC's orthopoxvirus test detects all non-smallpox related orthopoxviruses, including monkeypox, Labcorp said in a July 6 press release.
As of July 5, the total confirmed monkeypox/orthopoxvirus cases in the U.S. were 560, as per the CDC.
The company said it is the first national laboratory to offer this polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, which it verified for the CDC, and the first to launch a more automated assay option.
"We will initially perform all monkeypox testing in our main North Carolina lab and have the capacity to expand to other locations nationwide should the need arise," said Brian Caveney, chief medical officer and president of Labcorp Diagnostics.
The company noted that eventually, it will be able to increase capacity up to 10K tests per week, which will double the current capacity provided through CDC's Laboratory Response Network (LRN).
Labcorp ( LH ) will report results of monkeypox testing to health departments as per the CDC guidelines .
People would have to go to their health care provider for sample collection.
For further details see:
Labcorp to provide monkeypox PCR test amid outbreak in US