CDC Pauses Testing for Rabies, Monkeypox and Dozens of Other Infectious Diseases

Key Points

• CDC paused testing for more than two dozen infectious diseases including rabies, monkeypox, and herpesviruses
• Poxvirus and rabies units each lost roughly half their staff; malaria division cut even more severely
• Testing pause follows dramatic downsizing through layoffs, retirements, and resignations over the past year
• State labs in New York and California may help fill testing gaps during the pause

Full Details

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced on April 2, 2026, that it is temporarily halting laboratory testing for more than two dozen infectious diseases. The agency's poxvirus and rabies units have each lost roughly half their staff, while the malaria division has been cut even more severely, according to the National Public Health Coalition, a group of current and former CDC employees. This is not the first time the CDC has paused some testing, but it is pausing more types of tests than ever before. The CDC normally conducts testing to support state and local public health labs that lack necessary capabilities. The Department of Health and Human Services stated that CDC stands ready to support state and local partners through alternative channels. Some specialized state labs in New York and California may be able to pick up some testing capacity while the pause remains in effect.