Quest Diagnostics Introduces Testing for Oropouche Virus
SECAUCUS, N.J., July 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Quest Diagnostics (NYSE: DGX), a leader in diagnostic information services, today announced the launch of a new diagnostic laboratory test for the Oropouche virus, an emerging disease that is increasingly found in South and Central America and the Caribbean.
'As one of the leading providers of laboratory testing, Quest plays an essential role in ensuring the U.S. is prepared to respond to potentially dangerous emerging diseases, such as Oropouche virus,' said Yuri Fesko, MD, Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at Quest Diagnostics. 'By developing this test, we are prepared to act quickly to offer scalable testing to complement public health labs should this virus become a public health threat.'
Oropouche virus is an emerging virus in the Americas that is spread to people by infected biting midges and some mosquito species. While the current threat to the public in North America remains low, Oropouche virus has been reported in parts of South America, Central America and the Caribbean, with the majority of infected individuals becoming symptomatic. Cases reported in the United States have been limited to travelers returning from countries with local transmission. Oropouche viral disease presents clinically with symptoms that overlap with those of other arboviral diseases such as Dengue, Zika and chikungunya. While most people recover on their own, Oropouche virus can also cause more severe neuroinvasive disease like meningitis and encephalitis.
The test will be available with a prescription from a provider for clinical purposes at the end of the month. Quest's advanced laboratory in San Juan Capistrano, California, developed and will perform the test using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology, with serology testing to follow later this quarter. Reverse transcription PCR testing can identify the RNA of the virus during the early stages of infection to aid diagnosis. Serology testing, which identifies antibodies produced by the immune system in response to the virus, can help diagnose the virus in later stages of infection.
In September 2024, Quest Diagnostics was awarded several contracts by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to support testing and sustained laboratory readiness for emerging infectious diseases, including the development of diagnostics to aid the detection of Oropouche virus. The company also launched the first commercially available diagnostic test for Avian Influenza A H5 based on the funding. The contracts provide funding to enable the company to maintain testing readiness, such as for adequate supplies of certain equipment and chemical reagents used to perform the tests, on a sustained basis, should the U.S. need to quickly mobilize response to safeguard public health.
About Quest DiagnosticsQuest Diagnostics works across the healthcare ecosystem to create a healthier world, one life at a time. We provide diagnostic insights from the results of our laboratory testing to empower people, physicians and organizations to take action to improve health outcomes. Derived from one of the world's largest databases of de-identifiable clinical lab results, Quest's diagnostic insights reveal new avenues to identify and treat disease, inspire healthy behaviors and improve healthcare management. Quest Diagnostics annually serves one in three adult Americans and half the physicians and hospitals in the United States, and our nearly 55,000 employees understand that, in the right hands and with the right context, our diagnostic insights can inspire actions that transform lives and create a healthier world. www.QuestDiagnostics.com.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Malaysian Reserve
5 hours ago
- Malaysian Reserve
NAMI Statement on Executive Order Targeting Homelessness and Criminalizing Mental Illness
ARLINGTON, Va., July 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Yesterday, the White House released a new Executive Order, 'Ending Crime and Disorder on America's Streets,' which directs federal agencies to make it easier to involuntarily treat people with serious mental illnesses as part of a bid to address homelessness across the United States. While addressing the nationwide homelessness crisis is urgent and necessary, yesterday's executive order promoting institutionalization of people with mental illness raises grave concerns for NAMI and our community. NAMI's Chief Executive Officer Daniel H. Gillison, Jr. said: 'Mental illness is not a crime, and people with mental illness deserve to be treated as human beings, with dignity and respect. While we agree that homelessness is an urgent crisis in our country, to truly address the systemic causes of this crisis, we should be pouring resources into treatment to improve early access to care and investing in supportive housing and other wrap-around services. It's always ideal – and best – for an individual to engage in their own treatment. Yet, too many NAMI families know that isn't always possible. Unfortunately, yesterday's order concerningly focuses broadly on institutionalization and not on real solutions that we know work in helping people lead better lives.' NAMI believes that in the rare instances where voluntary engagement in treatment is not possible, involuntary commitment should be used only as a last resort and only when it is believed to be in the best interests of the individual. While it is unclear how the executive order will be carried out since state law governs the process of involuntary civil commitment, the order also urges moving away from a 'housing first' approach, which has been successful in helping individuals stay connected to treatment and reduce homelessness. While NAMI is troubled by the overall order, it does include a direction to federal agencies to support crisis response services and prioritize funding for mental health and drug courts – strategies that NAMI supports. This executive order comes at a time when significant cuts are being made to mental health services nationwide. Earlier this month, Congress passed legislation that will drastically cut Medicaid and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, impacting millions of Americans. The Administration has rescinded more than $1 billion in grants from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), with more cuts proposed for the next fiscal year. These changes will result in far too many people being unable to get the treatment they need. When that happens, more people will be arrested, incarcerated, land in emergency rooms, lose their connection to family and community, and ultimately become homeless. NAMI's Chief Advocacy Officer Hannah Wesolowski said: 'Rather than providing access to critical mental health services, this executive order appears to prioritize coercive tactics to move people who are homeless out of the public eye. This does nothing to address the root causes of homelessness, runs a high risk of exacerbating the homelessness crisis, and is not the way to address our mental health needs. People with mental illness deserve better.' For more information on the public policies that NAMI supports, visit
Malaysian Reserve
8 hours ago
- Malaysian Reserve
Lilly completes acquisition of Verve Therapeutics to advance one-time treatments for people with high cardiovascular risk
INDIANAPOLIS, July 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) today announced the successful completion of its acquisition of Verve Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: VERV). Verve is a Boston-based clinical-stage company developing genetic medicines for cardiovascular disease. 'This acquisition unlocks the opportunity to potentially transform the treatment paradigm for millions of patients worldwide by delivering lifelong cardiovascular risk reduction with a one-and-done treatment,' said Ruth Gimeno, Lilly group vice president, Diabetes and Metabolic Research and Development. 'We are excited to welcome Verve colleagues to Lilly and work together to develop innovative genetic medicines for cardiometabolic disease.' About LillyLilly is a medicine company turning science into healing to make life better for people around the world. We've been pioneering life-changing discoveries for nearly 150 years, and today our medicines help tens of millions of people across the globe. Harnessing the power of biotechnology, chemistry and genetic medicine, our scientists are urgently advancing new discoveries to solve some of the world's most significant health challenges: redefining diabetes care; treating obesity and curtailing its most devastating long-term effects; advancing the fight against Alzheimer's disease; providing solutions to some of the most debilitating immune system disorders; and transforming the most difficult-to-treat cancers into manageable diseases. With each step toward a healthier world, we're motivated by one thing: making life better for millions more people. That includes delivering innovative clinical trials that reflect the diversity of our world and working to ensure our medicines are accessible and affordable. To learn more, visit and or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. F-LLY Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking StatementsThis press release contains forward-looking statements regarding Lilly's acquisition of Verve, regarding prospective benefits of the acquisition and Verve's gene editing programs for cardiovascular disease, regarding Verve's product candidates and ongoing clinical and preclinical development, and regarding Lilly's development of programs for cardiovascular disease and advancement of cardiometabolic health medicines. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements reflect current beliefs and expectations; however, these statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, including with respect to drug research, development and commercialization, Lilly's evaluation of the accounting treatment of the acquisition and its potential impact on its financial results and financial guidance, regulatory changes and developments, the impact of global macroeconomic conditions, including trade and other global disputes and interruptions, including related to tariffs, trade protection measures, and similar restrictions, risks that the acquisition disrupts current plans and operations or adversely affect employee retention, and any legal proceedings that have been or may be instituted related to the acquisition. Actual results could differ materially due to various factors, risks and uncertainties. Among other things, there can be no guarantee that Lilly will realize the expected benefits of the acquisition, that product candidates will be approved on anticipated timelines or at all, that any products, if approved, will be commercially successful, that all or any of the contingent consideration will become payable on the terms described herein or at all, that Lilly's financial results will be consistent with its expected 2025 guidance or that Lilly can reliably predict the impact of the acquisition on its financial results or financial guidance. For further discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties, see Lilly's most recent Form 10-K and Form 10-Q filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as required by law, Lilly undertakes no duty to update forward-looking statements to reflect events after the date of this press release. Refer to: Ashley Hennessey; gentry_ashley_jo@ 317-416-4363 (Media) Michael Czapar; czapar_michael_c@ 317-617-0983 (Investors)
Malaysian Reserve
18 hours ago
- Malaysian Reserve
Informal caregivers in Singapore seen as undertrained and overwhelmed
Despite nearly all professional caregivers agreeing that informal caregivers can help bridge the demand of caregiving in Singapore to a certain extent (30% large, 45% moderate, 23% small extent), only a quarter of professionals (25%) say that informal caregivers today are 'somewhat capable' of providing necessary care, with none believing they are 'very capable'. Around four in five (79%) professional caregivers say that informal caregivers are either 'minimally trained' or not 'trained at all' in caregiving; with all professionals agreeing (47% strongly agree, 53% agree) that informal caregivers should receive formal training, especially in skills such as basic emergency response (92%), proper lifting and transfer techniques (90%), recognising condition-specific warning signs and symptoms (88%). Nearly half of professional caregivers (47%) perceive that informal caregivers feel undervalued by society, employers, or even their own families, with a lack of respite care (92%), sleep deprivation (90%), and financial strain (85%) among the top personal challenges faced by informal caregivers. Singapore, July 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Amidst the growing pressures of a super-aged society, Singapore's healthcare sector is experiencing a surge in caregiving demand. While all professional caregivers agree that informal caregivers, such as family members, foreign domestic workers, and volunteers, can help alleviate the demand of caregiving to a certain extent (30% large, 45% moderate, 23% small extent), there are concerns about their capability to provide effective care. Notably, a quarter of respondents (25%) consider informal caregivers only 'somewhat capable', with none believing that they are 'very capable'. This is further compounded by the widespread belief among professional caregivers that informal caregivers are undertrained (77% minimally trained, 2% not trained at all). Consequently, all of them agree (47% strongly agree, 53% agree) that informal caregivers should receive formal training. Essential skills identified by the professionals include basic emergency response (92%), proper lifting and transfer techniques (90%), recognising condition-specific warning signs and symptoms (88%), while important soft skills include decision-making (92%), adaptability (84%), and communication (83%). These are some of the key findings from NTUC LearningHub's Industry Insights Report 2025 on Caregiving, which investigates how professional caregivers, such as those working in the healthcare and social service sectors, perceive informal caregivers who provide support to individuals in need of care at home. Based on a survey of 200 professional caregivers, the report also explores the potential gaps in the caregiving landscape and the implications of evolving healthcare needs on informal caregivers. Additionally, the majority of professional caregivers (77%) also reveal that informal caregivers have little to no awareness of available resources and support services. The most common obstacles to providing effective care include a lack of medical and nursing knowledge (90%), time management (85%), and lack of access to proper equipment or assistive devices (81%). All professional caregivers agree (59% strongly agree, 41% agree) that there is an increasing demand for trained caregivers in Singapore, primarily driven by the ageing population and rising prevalence of chronic illnesses. In response to this growing need, all professional caregivers agree (30% large extent, 49% moderate extent, 22% small extent) that the adoption of assistive technologies has also helped to reduce the burden on informal caregivers, with the most helpful tools identified being mobility aids (97%), emergency response devices (92%) and smart home monitoring systems (82%). However, key barriers to adoption include a lack of training or guidance in effectively using assistive technology (91%), high cost of assistive technologies (91%), and technical complexity of using/setting up assistive tools (89%). At the same time, nearly half of professional caregivers (47%) believe that informal caregivers feel undervalued by society, employers, or even their families as they face personal challenges such as a lack of respite care (92%), sleep deprivation (90%) and financial strain (85%). Commenting on the report's findings, Mr Tay Ee Learn, Assistant Chief Executive Officer and Chief Sector Skills Officer, NTUC LearningHub, says, 'Demand for caregiving support is rising as Singapore's ageing population and the growing prevalence of chronic illnesses lead to longer-term and more complex care needs. Beyond professional caregivers, informal caregivers are quietly but surely cementing their role as key contributors in the care economy, providing invaluable day-to-day care. It is therefore important that they are given access to formal training and relevant resources as they often take on complex caregiving responsibilities without prior experience or professional guidance. With proper training and support, informal caregivers can be empowered to deliver safer, more effective and quality care for their loved ones without compromising their personal well-being. Ultimately, formal training also leads to certifications, providing opportunities for informal caregivers to become professionals in the healthcare sector.' To download the Industry Insights Report 2025 on Caregiving, please visit To find out more about the courses, training, and grants, please contact NTUC LearningHub at About NTUC LearningHub NTUC LearningHub is the leading Continuing Education and Training provider in Singapore which aims to transform the lifelong employability of working people. Since our corporatisation in 2004, we have been working with employers and individual learners to provide learning solutions in areas such as Infocomm Technology, Generative AI & Cloud, Healthcare, Retail & Food Services, Employability & Literacy, Business Excellence, Workplace Safety & Health, Security, Human Resources & Coaching and Foreign Workers Training. To date, NTUC LearningHub has helped over 34,000 organisations and achieved more than 3.2 million training places across more than 1,000 courses with a pool of about 1,000 certified trainers. As a Total Learning Solutions provider to organisations, we also forge partnerships to offer a wide range of relevant end-to-end training. Besides in-person training, we also offer instructor-led virtual live classes (VLCs) and asynchronous online learning. The NTUC LearningHub Learning eXperience Platform (LXP) — a one-stop online learning platform — offers timely, bite-sized and quality content for learners to upskill anytime and anywhere. Beyond learning, LXP also serves as a platform for jobs and skills development for both workers and companies. For more information, visit
