Is Your State Doing Enough Coronavirus Testing?
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The number of daily coronavirus tests being conducted in the United States is 52 percent of the level considered necessary to mitigate the spread of the virus, as many states struggle to increase testing.
An average of 1,193,000 tests per day were performed over the past week, according to data collected by the Covid Tracking Project, well below the current nationwide target of 2.3 million daily tests. The target, which is based on a methodology developed by researchers at the Harvard Global Health Institute, is different for each state and varies over time as infection rates change.
The figures for some states, marked with an asterisk (*) below, indicate one test reported for each individual tested, even if that person is tested more than once. The figures for the other states indicate the total number of specimens tested, including when an individual is tested more than once, which can lead to higher reported test numbers and lower positivity rates.
How each state’s current testing measures up
Average daily testing and hospitalizations in the last two weeks
Daily tests
per 100,000 Daily tests per 100k |
Percentage of
testing target Percentage of target |
Positive
test rate Positive rate |
Hospitalized
per 100,000 Hospital per 100k | |
---|---|---|---|---|
United States U.S. | 363
363
|
6% | 13
13
|
|
South Dakota* S.D. | 251
251
|
45% | 42
42
|
|
Iowa* Iowa | 146
146
|
31% | 18
18
|
|
Wyoming* Wyo. | 163
163
|
36% | 16
16
|
|
Idaho* Idaho | 143
143
|
34% | 14
14
|
|
Kansas* Kan. | 131
131
|
27% | 14
14
|
|
Alabama Ala. | 144
144
|
22% | 19
19
|
|
Montana Mont. | 472
472
|
15% | 34
34
|
|
Wisconsin Wis. | 534
534
|
15% | 23
23
|
|
Texas Texas | 220
220
|
9% | 18
18
|
|
Tennessee Tenn. | 358
358
|
10% | 20
20
|
|
Missouri Mo. | 291
291
|
12% | 24
24
|
|
Arizona* Ariz. | 152
152
|
11% | 11
11
|
|
Mississippi Miss. | 205
205
|
12% | 23
23
|
|
Kentucky Ky. | 353
353
|
10% | 20
20
|
|
Oklahoma Okla. | 332
332
|
9% | 22
22
|
|
Utah Utah | 324
324
|
15% | 10
10
|
|
North Dakota N.D. | 1,012
1,012
|
12% | 35
35
|
|
Nebraska Neb. | 567
567
|
9% | 23
23
|
|
Nevada Nev. | 252
252
|
10% | 17
17
|
|
Indiana Ind. | 455
455
|
8% | 24
24
|
|
Minnesota Minn. | 439
439
|
8% | 11
11
|
|
Pennsylvania* Pa. | 124
124
|
12% | 9
9
|
|
Arkansas Ark. | 310
310
|
10% | 21
21
|
|
Ohio Ohio | 382
382
|
6% | 12
12
|
|
Georgia Ga. | 192
192
|
8% | 16
16
|
|
Alaska Alaska | 698
698
|
7% | 9
9
|
|
South Carolina S.C. | 314
314
|
6% | 15
15
|
|
Oregon* Ore. | 140
140
|
7% | 5
5
|
|
West Virginia W.Va. | 425
425
|
4% | 12
12
|
|
New Mexico N.M. | 429
429
|
8% | 13
13
|
|
Louisiana* La. | 293
293
|
5% | 13
13
|
|
North Carolina N.C. | 326
326
|
6% | 11
11
|
|
Illinois Ill. | 584
584
|
7% | 21
21
|
|
Florida Fla. | 330
330
|
5% | 11
11
|
|
Colorado Colo. | 418
418
|
7% | 11
11
|
|
Virginia Va. | 218
218
|
6% | 12
12
|
|
Delaware Del. | 401
401
|
4% | 10
10
|
|
California Calif. | 335
335
|
3% | 8
8
|
|
New Jersey N.J. | 418
418
|
4% | 11
11
|
|
Maryland Md. | 441
441
|
3% | 8
8
|
|
Washington Wash. | 248
248
|
4% | 4
4
|
|
Michigan Mich. | 458
458
|
6% | 13
13
|
|
Hawaii Hawaii | 286
286
|
2% | 5
5
|
|
Connecticut Conn. | 643
643
|
3% | 8
8
|
|
New Hampshire N.H. | 410
410
|
2% | 2
2
|
|
Washington, D.C. D.C. | 592
592
|
2% | 14
14
|
|
Massachusetts Mass. | 1,033
1,033
|
2% | 8
8
|
|
Rhode Island R.I. | 1,206
1,206
|
3% | 14
14
|
|
New York N.Y. | 652
652
|
1% | 5
5
|
|
Maine Maine | 477
477
|
1% | 1
1
|
|
Vermont Vt. | 654
654
|
<1% | 1
1
|
Testing operations in the United States were delayed at the start of the outbreak after tests developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were found to be faulty. Since then, testing levels have steadily increased across the country, but many states have struggled to stay ahead of new outbreaks as overwhelmed labs report processing delays and shortages of crucial testing supplies. The resulting backlog can leave sick people undiagnosed, with the potential to further spread the virus as states reopen.
The Harvard researchers say that at minimum there should be enough daily capacity to test anyone who has flu-like symptoms and an additional 10 people for any symptomatic person who tests positive for the virus. That level of testing — which, according to researchers, is the minimum necessary to mitigate the disease — would require a significant increase over the number of daily tests currently being performed. Their estimates for the testing required to suppress the spread of the virus are much higher.
Aside from current testing levels, another important indicator of a state’s testing performance is its positive test rate, which is the percent of tests that come back positive. Lower rates suggest that testing is more widespread and that it is not limited to those with severe symptoms. Positive rates should be at or below 5 percent for at least 14 days before a state or country can safely reopen, according to the World Health Organization. In the United States, the current positive rate is 6 percent.
Where testing is far below recommended levels
Most states remain far from the minimum level of testing needed to reduce the spread of the virus.
Rate of testing compared to target
States are ordered by current testing shortfall
Where testing is above or near recommended levels
Over time, some states have reached the minimum testing target, and a few have exceeded it.
Rate of testing compared to target
States are ordered by current testing levels
Tracking the Coronavirus
United States
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Because of a data issue, earlier versions of this article, which had been updated daily, gave incorrect figures for state and national testing targets during the period of publication from Nov. 2 to Nov. 11. The article now reflects targets as of Nov. 1, not through Nov. 11.