The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s laboratory has received approval from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control to perform Ebola detection tests, lab director Laura Gillim-Ross said Friday.
The state lab is now one of 29 U.S. public health laboratories authorized to do Ebola testing, which would speed up results for any local cases.
Within Colorado, health care professionals who see patients meeting CDC criteria for suspicion of Ebola virus disease must consult with CDPHE staff for authorization of testing by the CDPHE laboratory, officials said. The CDPHE laboratory will not accept samples without prior approval.
The CDPHE will monitor transport of samples from the patient under investigation to the CDPHE laboratory. Testing will be completed within five to six hours and results reported to the CDC and the health-care provider.
Electa Draper: 303-954-1276, edraper@denverpost.com or
