HARTFORD, Conn. (WTIC Radio) - Diagnostic testing for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is now available at the Connecticut Department of Public Health's laboratory in Rocky Hill, according to Governor Ned Lamont who made the announcement Friday.
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration approved the capability which allows all test results from tissue samples to be conducted in Connecticut, Lamont said.
Previously, samples needed to be sent to CDC testing sites in Atlanta. Lamont said the new capability will save critical time in diagnosing and treating any future COVID-19 patients.
Public Health Commissioner Renée D. Coleman Mitchell said, "With testing now available in Connecticut, we can turn around test results within 24 hours of getting samples."
According to Lamont, any positive tests results of the virus will be actionable which means medical treatment and mitigation decisions can be made at the laboratory. Postive test result specimens will also be sent to the CDC in Atlanta for further investigation, Lamont said.
There are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Connecticut, Lamont said, and no patients in the state that are currently under investigation for possible exposure.
