Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - While the Minnesota Department of Health is reporting a slowdown in the number of coronavirus tests its lab has been able to conduct, the Mayo Clinic is ramping up its testing program.

A news release says, beginning Thursday, Mayo is able to process significantly more tests and has offered to perform COVID 19 testing for existing Mayo Clinic Laboratory's clients across Minnesota, including 8 major health systems. The statement says Mayo laboratories will process as many tests as possible and as capacity increases, Mayo will coordinate with state and federal officials to offer testing in areas with the greatest need.

As of today, Mayo is reporting it has the capacity to process about 4000 samples per day. 

"The capability to test and process clinical samples for the SARS-CoV-2 virus is urgently needed nationwide and we have been working around the clock to make this expansion happen as quickly as possible," says William Morice, II, M.D., Ph.D., president of Mayo Clinic Laboratories and chair of Mayo Clinic’s Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology. "Our expanded capacity will expedite caring for patients at this critical time, and hopefully will ease the burden being felt at test processing laboratories in Minnesota and a growing number of geographies."

Mayo notes its testing capacity is also limited and subject to the availability of supplies. The news release states Mayo Clinic teams are working diligently to obtain equipment and supplies that will allow Mayo Medical Laboratories to increase its processing capacity.

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