The Connecticut Department of Public Health can now conduct diagnostic testing for the coronavirus after receiving approval from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration.
The decision means the agency will be able to do testing on tissue samples for coronavirus from patients under investigation at its Rocky Hill lab instead of having to send those samples to the CDC testing site in Atlanta.
“Being able to test for the virus locally will allow us to conduct diagnostics and take every measure in our capability in an expedited fashion,” Gov. Ned Lamont said.
Any positive test results would also be sent to the CDC for additional testing.
“With testing now available in Connecticut, we can turn around test results within 24 hours of getting samples," Public Health Commissioner Renee Coleman Mitchell Said. "This will improve the investigation of any future cases and tracking down anyone potentially exposed to the disease."
There are no confirmed coronavirus cases in Connecticut, according to Gov. Lamont.
