A WHO official says communities should aim for only a tenth of coronavirus tests coming back positive. High rates mean that the tests are being used mainly to confirm obvious cases -- and that officials aren't finding the full extent of the disease.
A person wearing protective equipment at a coronavirus testing site for first responders, on Monday in Los Angeles.A person wearing protective equipment at a coronavirus testing site for first responders, on Monday in Los Angeles.
That's because more positives means the tests are being used mainly to confirm obvious cases, and as a result health authorities are not getting a clear picture on the scope of the epidemic in their area. In places where every close contact and suspected case has been tested, the percent of negative cases is high. Ryan says in"We would certainly like to see countries testing at the level of ten negative tests to one positive, as a general benchmark of a system that's doing enough testing to pick up all cases," Ryan says.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says that testing is important for both the care of an individual, and for public health officials who are trying to slow the spread of the virus. "Without knowing, without testing, it's like moving blindfolded," he says, pointing to how South Korean health officials identified
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