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What happened to Catholic Health's COVID-19 testing supplies?

California company says it's sending cartridges to areas of greatest need first.

BUFFALO, N.Y. — It appears testing supplies that would have bolstered Erie County's ability to test for COVID-19 are being diverted to coronavirus hot spots first.

A spokeswoman for California-based Cepheid says distribution of its testing cartridges are for now going to "the areas of greatest need." Specific locations were not disclosed.

Last week, Catholic Health CEO Mark Sullivan announced his hospital system has equipment that could process the new, so-called "45-minute test" for the coronavirus. Sullivan telling The Buffalo News that Catholic Health was geared to process 800 tests daily.

Erie County Health Commissioner Dr. Gale Burstein has put capacity at its public health laboratory between 80 to 100 tests a day. 

2 On Your Side spoke with representatives from Catholic Health about the status of the Cepheid testing supplies they reportedly have ordered. We were told the hospital system is looking into and would have an update.

RELATED: WNY/NYS coronavirus (COVID-19) updates March 30, 2020

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