Amid a global outbreak of monkeypox, Labcorp on Wednesday became the first national commercial laboratory to begin testing for the disease.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Labcorp announced the launch, which will eventually double the current U.S. testing capacity for monkeypox, Labcorp said. The CDC-designed tests also detect other orthopoxviruses. 

“The ability of commercial labs to test for monkeypox is a key pillar in our comprehensive strategy to combat this disease,” CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said in a statement. “This will not only increase testing capacity but will make it more convenient for providers and patients to access tests by using existing provider-to-lab relationships.”

Labcorp will offer the testing at its largest U.S. facility, located in Burlington, North Carolina, and accept specimens from anywhere in the country. The company expects to perform up to 10,000 tests per week and says it could expand testing to other facilities if needed.

“Labcorp appreciates the opportunity to support the CDC in its efforts to keep the public safe and manage the monkeypox outbreak,” Dr. Brian Caveney, Labcorp Diagnostics’ chief medical officer and president, said in a statement.

The Department of Health and Human Services announced last month it begun shipping orthopoxvirus tests to five commercial laboratory companies, meaning even more testing capacity is expected to be added throughout July. Before Wednesday, all monkeypox testing was administered through the CDC’s Laboratory Response Network, which includes local public health, veterinary, military and international labs.

The CDC recommends anyone with a rash that looks like monkeypox to consult with their health care provider, who would order the test from Labcorp. The company does not offer the tests directly to members of the public.

Monkeypox spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids or sores from someone who has been infected. It also can be transmitted through respiratory secretions when people have close face-to-face contact, but Walensky stressed last month it’s not typically transmitted during short periods of shared airspace, such as casual conversations or shopping.

The disease generally begins with flu-like symptoms — fever, headache, muscle aches and exhaustion — followed by lesions, which can result in long-term scarring of the skin. But some patients during the outbreak have not developed any flu-like symptoms, Walensky said.

The CDC has posted more information about symptoms, including photos, on its website.

As of Wednesday, there have been 560 monkeypox cases in the U.S. during the current outbreak, up 83% from a week earlier. 

Cases have been detected in 32 states as well as in the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. California (111), New York (96), Florida (64) and Illinois (62) account for the most infections.

There have been more than 6,900 cases worldwide, including over 1,200 each in Spain, the United Kingdom and Germany.