$275K Donated To UW Virology; Lab Launches Testing Dashboard

SEATTLE, WA — The University of Washington Virology Lab has received a windfall of donations as researchers work to bolster its capacity and meet the growing demand for coronavirus testing. Since a fundraising effort launched Wednesday, more than 1,000 people have donated nearly $275,000, according to the university.

A live list on the lab's website shows donations pouring in by the minute, with individual amounts ranging from $5 to more than $1,000. Each person can leave a note along with their donation, which is posted on the website.

"Thank you for stepping up in this time of need for our country," one donor wrote. "You are the true heroes working on the front lines of this pandemic."

"THANK YOU for the critical and amazing work you all are doing," another person wrote. "We owe you an immense debt of gratitude."

Related: UW Medicine Sets Up Drive-Thru Testing For Patients

According to the Seattle Times, the UW lab was among the first academic sites in the country authorized to run its own tests and has quickly ramped up efforts to process more than 2,000 samples every day. Researchers are aiming to grow that number by more than double — a goal that, the university says, the new infusion of cash will help accomplish.

"Given the overwhelming demand for testing, UW Medicine is working with the state's lab to help reduce its backlog," the university wrote in an online post. "The degree and speed with which we ramp up testing could have [an] enormous impact on how the pandemic plays out within our state."

UW Virology handles the majority of COVID-19 testing in Washington, providing a huge boost to the state's public health laboratory in Shoreline. The lab has also taken on clients from across the U.S., where testing capabilities are often very limited.

Researchers unveiled a new online dashboard Friday, allowing the public to track the lab's test results in real-time. According to an update Saturday morning, more than 21,800 patients have been tested since the effort launched March 2, with an overall "patient positivity rate" of 7.4 percent.