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HARRISBURG, Pa. — A Pennsylvania state laboratory is now able to handle about six tests per day for a new coronavirus that is sickening people across the globe, state health officials said Tuesday.
There have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Pennsylvania, where testing and tracking began about a month ago. In a late-breaking development, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported Tuesday night that the Philadelphia Department of Public Health acknowledged a possible case in the city has been sent to the state lab for testing.
No further details were available at press time.
In Harrisburg meanwhile, the state’s health secretary, Dr. Rachel Levine, said getting test results from the state-run lab in Exton is reducing the turn-around time significantly, making them typically available within about a day, according to the Associated Press.
Levine encouraged people who fear they may have the COVID-19 illness to call their doctor or hospital. Those health care workers can determine the next steps and take a sample if testing is necessary.
The state lab is waiting for equipment that should increase its testing capacity, she said. Levine said private labs are also likely to soon get federal permission to perform testing.
The new virus, first detected in China, has infected more than 90,000 people globally and caused over 3,100 deaths. Officials have found more than 100 cases and six deaths in the U.S.