09:36 AM EDT, 10/23/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Quest Diagnostics ( DGX ) said Wednesday it has been awarded several contracts by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to develop laboratory tests for avian influenza A H5, or bird flu, and Oropouche viruses.

The contracts will support the CDC's preparedness strategy for the two infectious diseases caused by these viruses by ensuring that a commercial laboratory provider can quickly supplement public laboratories if there's an outbreak, Quest said.

The contracts will also provide funding for certain equipment and chemical reagents to allow the company to maintain testing readiness, Quest said. Financial details weren't provided.

The company said it will launch a multi-target molecular diagnostic test for the avian influenza A H5 virus, including A H5N1, at the end of the month.

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