PEKIN, Ill. — Pekin-based Reditus Labs’ testing equipment will catch the new COVID-19 variants, according to the company’s CEO.
In a news release on Wednesday, Dr. Anthony Rossi said Reditus has added a separate platform that tests any and all viral pathogens within a sample.
Rossi said the new platform is in house will be ready for use in about a month.
Reditus Labs has processed about 1.4 million COVID-19 tests statewide since April.
A COVID-19 variant from the U.K. — which experts estimate is 70% more contagious — has been detected in the U.S., but not yet in Illinois.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the variant may spread more easily and quickly than previous strains.
“This is not uncommon,” said Dr. Joshua Geltz, a Virologist who is Reditus’ laboratory chief.”
Viruses change through mutation and new variants of a virus are expected to occur over time, the CDC said.
“While the new variant will increase the number of COVID cases, there is no evidence that it causes more severe disease, but it’s still early,” Rossi said.
