North Carolina's largest COVID-19 testing lab begins testing for monkeypox

On Thursday, WRAL News toured Mako Medical Laboratories’ 10,000-square-foot lab, which is pivoting its testing from COVID-19 to monkeypox.

“The exact same workflow that we use in the lab for COVID-19 samples, we can utilize that same instrumentation, capacity [and] staff for monkeypox testing as well,” said Mako Medical Genomics Director Matthew Tugwell.

Mako Medical had the single largest COVID testing lab site in North Carolina.

“In January alone, we processed 1 million COVID tests,” Tugwell said. “And, to date, we’ve done [more than] 13 million.”

Two weeks ago, the site started processing monkeypox tests. So far, Tugwell said, of 12 specimens sent to Mako, seven have come back positive for monkeypox.

To test, a doctor or clinician swabs the blisters that are a monkeypox symptom. Mako labs check the DNA on the swab for evidence of the virus.

“I think this test is applicable to every type of office, primary care, on up,” said Mako Medical Vice President of Laboratory Operations Steve Hoover.

Mako Medical personnel said the test is 99.5% accurate.

“The turnaround time is less than 24 hours,” Hoover said.

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“A majority of our samples right now for monkeypox testing are coming from STD clinics,” Tugwell said.

Mako Medical is receiving about three to five monkeypox testing samples per day. In comparison, the site processes 25,000 COVID-19 tests per day. However, Mako leaders are gearing up for what could come.

“There is a level of uncertainty to what is actually going to happen,” Tugwell said.