Positive percentage highest in US

AZ testing not keeping up with virus’s spread

One in four COVID-19 tests in Arizona is coming back positive, the highest percentage in the country, according to Johns Hopkins University, and an indicator that there isn’t enough testing to keep up with the new coronavirus’s spread in the state.

Arizona’s COVID-19 metrics have been moving in the wrong direction for more than a month.

The percentage of tests that is positive is one telling data point for how widespread the virus is and whether testing is doing enough.

A high percentage of positive tests means that testing is limited and may only be reaching those who are the most sick, and that the virus is widespread and impacting wide swaths of people.

Ideally, people who are asymptomatic and those who have been in contact with known cases should get tested.

A low percentage of positive tests means testing is widespread, hitting those with and without symptoms, or that the virus is losing its spread in a community.

According to the World Health Organization, one sign among many that the epidemic is controlled is that percent positive is less than 5% for at least two weeks, assuming comprehensive testing.

“We are watching the percent positivity,” Dr. Cara Christ, Arizona’s health director, said. “What that indicates is that there’s increasing community spread within our communities.”

Arizona has the highest percentage among all states of positive tests, according to data from Johns Hopkins, with an average of 25.3% of tests coming back positive as of Tuesday.