3 Florida labs testing for coronavirus, cut down response times
Tampa-area branch testing for the coronavirus, otherwise known as COVID-19.
TAMPA, Fla. - A Hillsborough County woman was tested and diagnosed with the coronavirus at a Tampa lab.
“The State of Florida is fully committed, doing everything we can to respond to the COVID-19 virus,” said Ron DeSantis, Governor of Florida.
A big part of that response is testing for the coronavirus in the sunshine state.
On Monday, Gov. Ron DeSantis toured one of three labs in the state now testing for COVID-19.
DeSantis got an up-close look at the instrument where vials of saliva are being examined to detect the virus.
“This allows test results to be available within 24 to 48 hours. Currently, the CDC is taking up to five days,” DeSantis said.
Being able to diagnose patients faster enables health officials to jump into action to stop the spread of the virus.
Florida Deputy Secretary of Health Dr. Shamarial Robertson says the efforts don’t stop at the patient.
“We are taking all necessary precautions to isolate those individuals and prevent the spread of the disease. Once individuals are identified as a person under investigation, we are then working to identify their contacts and reduce the spread of COVID-19,” Dr. Robertson said.
DeSantis praised the work of the health investigators on the front lines.
“That involves personal visits, involves checking peoples' temperatures... so they’ve been very diligent about this,” DeSantis said.
The other two labs testing for the coronavirus are located in Jacksonville and Miami.
Once a patient tests positive, the test is sent to the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta for confirmation.