CHICAGO – The Illinois Department of Public Health is now able to conduct testing for the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV). Illinois is the first state to be able to do in-state testing. According to the IDPH, once specimens from individuals are received at the Chicago IDPH laboratory, test results are typically available within 24 hours. The test is intended for use with upper and lower respiratory specimens collected from people who meet CDC criteria for 2019-nCoV testing. Those criteria include looking at travel and/or exposure history, as well as symptoms and/or fever.
