Labcorp Begins Monkeypox Testing, Doubling Nation’s Testing Capacity

BURLINGTON, N.C. – Labcorp this week became the first national laboratory to begin testing for monkeypox using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s orthopoxvirus test, a significant step in rolling back the spread of the virus.

“We will initially perform all monkeypox testing at our main North Carolina lab, and have the capacity to expand to other locations nationwide should the need arise,” said Dr. Brian Caveney, chief medical officer and president of Labcorp Diagnostics.

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, which itself has rapidly expanded testing capacity over the last seven weeks.

Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the CDC, said in a written statement that the ability of commercial labs to test for monkeypox is a key pillar in a comprehensive strategy to combat the disease.

“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,” she said.

On June 22, the Department of Health and Human Services announced that five commercial laboratory companies would soon begin offering monkeypox testing.

Since then, CDC has shipped the tests to the laboratories and their employees have been trained on their administration, among other steps.

Anyone with a rash that looks like monkeypox should talk to their health care 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, nationwide, 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 to report results to jurisdictions following guidelines established by the CDC.

Dan can be reached at [email protected] and @DanMcCue