U.S. can conduct 60,000-80,000 monkeypox tests per week, HHS secretary says

[July 29, 2022]  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States has the capacity to conduct 60,000-80,000 tests for monkeypox virus per week, Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said on Thursday.

When the monkeypox outbreak began, the U.S. was able to conduct only 6,000 tests per week, Becerra told reporters during a telephone briefing.

(Reporting by Julie Steenhuysen and Caroline Humer; Writing by Katharine Jackson)

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U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra speaks to attendees during the National Action Network National Convention in New York City, U.S., April 7, 2022. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz