Western states boost testing as new cases fall
The number of new coronavirus cases may be falling in three Western states, but there is no holding back when it comes to testing.
California will more than double its coronavirus testing to up to 250,000 people a day, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced. It has a $1.4 billion contract with a Massachusetts company aimed at providing faster results and lower costs. In reporting 6,004 new cases, Newsom tweeted Wednesday that the state continues to see “modest declines” in case counts.
Nevada, too, says the number of new cases has decreased since peaking above 1,400 on July 15. Officials say the decrease is due at least in part to the state’s face-covering mandate and limits on large gatherings. It is also increasing testing in its highpopulation areas of Reno and Las Vegas.
In Oregon, officials note not only that the case counts are falling, but that the rate of positive tests also has declined. It stands at 5.1%. If it falls to 5%, one of Gov. Kate Brown’s requirements for reopening schools will have been met.
The situation is worse in other parts of the country. A USA TODAY analysis of Johns Hopkins data show new case records were set in Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas and North Dakota, and also Guam. Record numbers of deaths were also reported in Alaska and Arkansas, Guam and Virgin Islands.
In Alabama, Gov. Kay Ivey announced she is extending until Oct. 2 a statewide mask order that she and health officials have credited with reducing cases. She also said she will keep in place other health orders, such as reducing occupancy in stores and limiting table seating in restaurants. The Republican governor has faced a mix of praise from health officials and criticism from some conservatives for the decision to issue the statewide mask order unlike some Southern governors.
State Health Officer Scott Harris said that with increased mask usage, the state has seen a corresponding drop in hospitalizations and the percentage of tests that are positive.
The U.S. has more than 5.8 million confirmed infections and 180,000 deaths. Worldwide, there have been more than 826,000 deaths and 24 million cases.
Abbott gets emergency-use authorization
Abbott Laboratories has received emergency-use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for a $5 coronavirus test that can deliver results in 15 minutes. The test is the size of a small greeting card and can be administered by a school nurse, a doctor or other medical professional.
Abbott said it will ship millions of the tests in September and plans up to 50 million by October. That would significantly increase the nation’s supply of tests to detect the virus that causes COVID-19.
The antigen test uses technology similar to a pregnancy test. A medical worker takes a nasal swab, inserts the sample into a slot and closes the card. The card displays one line for a negative result or two lines for a positive.
The FDA authorized Abbott’s antigen test for use on patients within seven days of experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. It’s not authorized for home use.
The FDA said antigen tests generally have lower sensitivity than lab-based PCR tests, so people who test negative with an antigen test may need a PCR test to rule out a coronavirus infection. Abbott said its antigen test has a sensitivity – a measure of whether the test correctly identifies a case – of 97.1%.
Disneyland ‘ready’ to reopen with Calif.’s OK
Disneyland is ready to let the magic begin anew once California releases its health and safety guidelines for theme parks, a move that’s been hampered by a more full retreat of cases. Orange County was removed on Sunday from a list of counties on California’s monitoring list. Disney World in Florida has been fully open since July 15.