Quest Diagnostics will begin testing for monkeypox starting on Wednesday, according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 

The company has developed a real-time polymerase chain reaction test that uses patient swab specimens to qualitatively detect non-variola orthpoxviruses and monkeypox virus DNA, according to the news release. The test is now available to healthcare providers nationwide, except in New York. 

Quest will offer monkeypox virus testing at the company’s advanced laboratory in San Juan Capistrano, Calif., and can accept specimens from anywhere in the country.

Quest’s testing will continue to increase the current capacity provided through CDC’s Laboratory Response Network (LRN), Labcorp, and Mayo Clinic Laboratories, providing testing capacity of up to 60,000 specimens per week by the end of July, according to the news release. 

On June 22, The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, announced that five commercial laboratory companies would soon begin offering monkeypox testing. Since then, CDC has shipped the tests to the laboratories and their employees have been trained on their administration. 

Anyone with a rash should talk to their healthcare provider for testing. Healthcare providers can order monkeypox virus testing from Quest. People seeking testing for monkeypox must consult with their healthcare provider first and cannot go to a Quest lab without to request testing. 

Quest will use electronic laboratory reporting to report results to jurisdictions as outlined in the CDC reporting guidance.

CDC anticipates additional commercial laboratories will come online in the coming days, and monkeypox testing capacity will continue to increase throughout the rest of the month of July and into August. 

The service is expected to be available in New York at a later date, pending the state's review.