MADISON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — The addition of more labs is expected to initially double the number of tests for coronavirus that can be performed in Wisconsin.
Gov. Tony Evers’ office announced that Exact Sciences, Marshfield Clinic Health System, Promega and UW Health would begin testing for COVID-19, the illness caused by the new coronavirus. Previously, the Wisconsin State Lab of Hygiene and the Milwaukee Public Health Lab were leading the Wisconsin Clinical Lab Network.
“The Wisconsin State Lab of Hygiene and the Milwaukee Public Health Lab should be commended for the tremendous lift they have done over the past few weeks to rapidly bring these tests online. And I want to especially extend my gratitude to the Wisconsin State Lab of Hygiene for going above and beyond to expand testing capacity within the Wisconsin Clinical Lab Network, and ensure Wisconsin does not have a backlog of COVID-19 tests,” Evers said in a news release. “I also want to thank the Wisconsin Diagnostic Lab at Froedtert, Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, Gundersen Health Systems, and Aurora Health Care for their early work and continued leadership. But even with these combined efforts, unfortunately, we know all too well that as this disease spreads there will be significant pressure on our labs to keep pace with testing.”
On average, Wisconsin Clinical Lab Network labs have been completing 1,500-2,000 tests per day.
Tests must still be ordered by a doctor. Tests are not available for patients at the lab sites.
