Virginia Public Health Lab Begins Testing for Coronavirus

Virginia’s public health and environmental lab started testing for coronavirus over the weekend and says two suspected cases both came back negative.

All suspected COVID-19 samples were sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention up until Feb. 29, which took up to a week to report results, according to a Monday news release from the Virginia Department of General Services.

Testing at the state level cuts the waiting time for results down to just hours, the release said.

Eleven total people in Virginia have been tested, and all tests have been negative.

“No cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Virginia at this time, and our public health officials are working diligently to ensure early detection of any suspected cases,” Gov. Ralph Northam said in the release.

The lab will test samples from individuals identified by the Virginia Department of Health if they meet both the clinical and epidemiologic criteria for the virus.

“The commonwealth's ability to test patients under investigation for COVID-19 is essential to addressing this public health threat,” Dr. Lilian Peake, a state epidemiologist, said in the release. “Detecting cases of COVID-19 early is critical in helping to prevent spread and protect our communities.”