Sonora Quest Laboratories, the market share leader in diagnostic laboratory testing in Arizona, today announced it will begin to provide testing for the coronavirus (COVID-19) in collaboration with one of its parent companies, Quest Diagnostics. The new test service aids the presumptive detection of nucleic acid in respiratory specimens of patients meeting CDC's clinical criteria for COVID-19 testing.

Starting Wednesday, March 11, Sonora Quest will be in position to receive respiratory specimens for COVID-19 testing from appropriate health care settings, such as hospitals and physician offices. Sonora Quest patient service centers, phlebotomy sites, and mobile phlebotomists do not collect respiratory specimens, including from patients with suspected COVID-19. The testing requires a physician’s order and is not available directly to consumers. Patients suspected of or confirmed to have, COVID-19 should consult with a physician regarding the best way to provide a specimen for testing by Sonora Quest.

Coronavirus Disease 2019 or COVID-19 (formally known as 2019-nCoV) is the name for the respiratory syndrome caused by infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

The service will be provided as a laboratory-developed test, pending review by the FDA under emergency use authorization (EUA) which Quest Diagnostics will submit per FDA guidance within 15 days of clinical testing. This test has been validated according to high-complexity testing under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments and is pending the Food and Drug Administration agency’s independent review under the Emergency Use Authorization for novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

“Through our integrated laboratory network, we see many complex cases that have allowed us to build a foundation of expertise in public health response,” said Dr. Brian Koeneman, Scientific Director of Molecular Diagnostics with Sonora Quest. “This is a fluid situation and Sonora Quest is monitoring the situation closely to bolster our preparedness. As always, our priority remains the health and safety of our employees, patients and the communities we serve.”

For more information about the COVID-19 testing service, visit http://www.SonoraQuest.com/coronavirus.

By Ellanna Koontz