Texas rate of testing for virus is one of lowest

The claim: Texas “is near the bottom or at the very bottom when it comes to testing per capita.” — U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso.

Escobar raised the issue during a webcast with the Wilson Center’s Mexico Institute and the Migration Policy Institute on April 22. Her full statement was: “Texas, I believe, either is near the bottom or at the very bottom when it comes to testing per capita, so the numbers are probably far greater than what is being reported. I believe we don’t have an adequate idea of just how many cases and how many deaths are being reported.”

PolitiFact rating: True. Data shows that Texas has indeed lagged behind other states in terms of coronavirus testing.

Discussion: As state leaders in Texas ease restrictions implemented to slow the spread of the coronavirus in the state, some people have raised concerns about the number of tests the state has administered.

At the time of Escobar’s remark, Texas had administered 216,783 tests for the coronavirus, with 21,069 positive results, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.

Escobar’s spokeswoman Elizabeth Lopez-Sandoval pointed to the COVID Tracking Project as the source of Escobar’s claim comparing Texas testing with that of other states. The COVID Tracking Project was launched by the Atlantic and tracks and publishes data from each state about testing, deaths and hospitalizations related to the coronavirus.

With a population of more than 27.8 million in 2018 and 216,783 tests administered as of April 22, Texas had administered about 777 coronavirus tests per 100,000 people, ranking 48th among states in testing per capita.

Here’s a look at the three states that had administered the fewest coronavirus tests per capita, as of April 22: Kansas, with 695 tests per 100,000 residents; Virginia, with 722 tests per 100,000 residents; and Texas, with 777 tests per 100,000 residents.

Of the five most populous states, Texas also had by far the lowest number of tests per capita.

Here’s how other states with large populations compared: Florida, with 1,401 tests per 100,000 residents; California with 1,189 tests per 100,000 residents; and New York with 3,415 tests per 100,000 residents.

Public health experts say a dramatic increase in testing is needed to ensure that it’s safe to reopen sectors of the economy, as limited testing data means there are significant unknowns about the scope of the virus spread.

The data that does exist is incomplete, as some private laboratories have not reported the number of negative tests they have administered. And there are clear discrepancies in some county-level data.

During a news conference April 17, Gov. Greg Abbott said he spoke with the White House and was told that Texas would receive “a dramatic increase” in testing — “not just testing those who may show symptoms, but also being able to test entire communities so that we have better information.”

That surge has pushed the number of tests in Texas to 351,775, a 62 percent increase. Texas, however, remained the lowest of the five most-populous states in per capita testing as of Friday.