GREENSBORO, N.C. — To this point, the United States has turned COVID-19 tests and results at record rates. However, the nation's top testing center said people should expect longer wait times to get their test results back.
LabCorp announced an uptick in demand will likely double wait times for people to receive coronavirus test results, the Burlington, North Carolina company announced.
"In recent weeks, we have seen a steady increase in demand for molecular testing and we are doing everything we can to continue delivering results in a timely manner while continually increasing testing capacity," LabCorp officials said.
LabCorp expects the capacity for molecular tests to increase from 130,000 to 150,000 tests per day by mid-July. The company said the increase in demand will increase the time it takes to get coronavirus test results back bay 1-2 days, officials said. The increase doubles the current average wait time LabCorp has returned test results.
"We continue to be committed to delivering results quickly, ensuring that vulnerable or sick patients and healthcare workers receive priority, and performing testing for other patients in the order in which they are received," LabCorp officials said.
In North Carolina, the state reached another record day for hospitalizations from COVID-19 on Monday, July 6, and more than 1,500 newly-confirmed cases.
A closer look at Monday's noon update from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) shows more than 74,000 confirmed total cases (74,529), up 1,546 cases since the pandemic started.