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The Trump administration pushed back Saturday against criticism that it has been slow to deploy testing for the coronavirus on a nationwide scale.[CR-LF][CR-LF]While health officials from Washington state to Florida have expressed concern over their lack of access to testing kits, administration officials told reporters at the White House that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had met all requests from the two states, where the virus outbreak has been most pronounced.

The number of Americans infected with the coronavirus keeps growing; so does the number of states with confirmed cases. We're going to talk now with someone who is on the frontlines, Dr. Nancy Messonnier of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) spreading across the world represents a distinct challenge for all physicians, especially oncologists who commonly treat patients who have compromised immune systems. The spread of the virus was discussed by Scott Gottlieb, MD, during the keynote address at the 37th Annual Miami Breast Cancer Conference®.

Some academic hospitals are developing their own tests. And commercial options are expanding really quickly. Quest Diagnostics says it will launch a coronavirus test on Monday. The company says it will be in a position to receive samples from hospitals, physician offices. And another big company, LabCorp, says it now has a test available that can be ordered by doctors, other health care providers. Now, results can take three or four days. Positive results will be reported to local health officials and to the CDC.

Since Renee Schwartz developed shortness of breath and a severe cough two weeks ago, she has been trying desperately to get a coronavirus test. She has already been tested for the flu — she was negative — and other problems have been ruled out. But while her doctor thinks a test is warranted, she told Schwartz she does not have access to any tests.[CR-LF][CR-LF]“I feel like crap,” said Schwartz, 60, of North Hills, Calif. “I want to know, why can’t I get this test?”

President Trump claimed again on Friday that anyone who needed a coronavirus test “gets a test.” But from Washington State to Florida to New York, doctors and patients are clamoring for tests that they say are in woefully short supply, and their frustration is mounting alongside the growing number of cases around the country.[CR-LF][CR-LF]In California, where thousands are being monitored for the virus, only 516 tests had been conducted by the state as of Thursday. Washington health officials have more cases than they can currently process. And in New York, where cases have quadrupled this week, a New York City official pleaded for more test kits from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

New Hampshire’s state laboratories are able to do more coronavirus testing after receiving additional supplies from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the state Health Department said Friday.[CR-LF][CR-LF]The supplies will allow the laboratories to test an additional 200 people, the department said.[CR-LF][CR-LF]Also, Quest Diagnostics, the world’s largest diagnostic testing provider, is expected to make testing available to patients through their healthcare provider as of Monday, the department said.

In a press conference late on Friday, Vice President Mike Pence said that the government will finally have the capacity to provide over 1 million tests for the novel coronavirus, COVID-19.[CR-LF][CR-LF]Joined by representatives of the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the vice president detailed the continuing efforts from the White House to coordinate a response to the spread of the coronavirus.

In a growing sign of how coronavirus is disrupting California, Stanford University said Friday night that it will move classes online for the final two weeks of the winter quarter.[CR-LF][CR-LF]Stanford also said large events would be "canceled or adjusted."[CR-LF][CR-LF]"The university is actively monitoring the local and global health situation and is taking precautionary measures in an effort to help limit the spread of infection," officials said in a statement.

Coronavirus testing capacity in Connecticut will grow significantly in the coming days with two private labs initiating testing, a move that is likely to help identify positive cases in the state.[CR-LF][CR-LF]By Monday, two companies — LabCorp and Quest Diagnostics — will be processing coronavirus tests in their Connecticut laboratories, the companies said Thursday. The state public health lab in Rocky Hill is currently the sole testing provider in the state.[CR-LF][CR-LF]That means possibly dozens or hundreds of tests a day will be processed in Connecticut, up from a maximum of about 20.[CR-LF][CR-LF]Connecticut has one confirmed case of COVID-19. On Friday night, officials said a New York nurse working at Danbury and Norwalk hospitals has tested positive for the virus.