The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Thursday made an announcement.
It is seeking special emergency authorization from the Food and Drug Administration.
This would be to allow U.S. states to use a CDC-developed diagnostic test to detect the new coronavirus.
The coronavirus, from China, is the newest worldwide medical threat, claiming dozens of lives already.
China has put millions of people on lockdown in Wuhan and another nearby city.
Authorities around the world are working to prevent the virus’s global spread.
None of them so far have shown signs of the virus, according to local health officials.