State Health Department Expects More Coronavirus (COVID-19) Tests Next Week

Oklahoma City area labs are now awaiting kits to process coronavirus (COVID-19) tests.

“We currently are anticipating receiving 10,000 test kits. With the goal of having our labs up and running by the end of the week, with the capability of running 2,000 to 2,800 tests per day,” Dr. Kayse Shrum said at a state press conference Tuesday.

Until the kits arrive, the state health department confirms swabs of those deemed high risk could have priority processing.

The health department is already testing with the Diagnostic Lab of Oklahoma. Several labs are currently preparing to test, including the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.

“We should be able to run approximately 1,600 tests per day when we get all three kits here. Right now, we don’t know when we’ll be able to get those kits,” VP of Research at OU Health Sciences Dr. James Tomasek said.

Tomasek said he’s expecting the kits to start arriving within three to five days.

Doctors at the health department confirm they are working on satellite testing sites as well, and tests typically take one to three days to process.

The health department said generally tests take one to three days to process.