Orange County erroneously inflated its COVID-19 testing numbers for more than a month — logging 30,000 more tests than it should have — before the error was discovered and fixed, officials acknowledged this week.
The county has counted coronavirus testing in a way some consider misleading, reporting total tests performed, but not how many individuals were tested (some people are tested multiple times).
This error may stoke further skepticism in the numbers.
“That’s quite concerning,” said Eva O’Keefe of San Clemente, founder of Stay Healthy OC/COVID-19, a Facebook group with nearly 500 members that tries to deal in data, not rumors. She has been asking the county to explain puzzling changes in reports on testing, hospitalizations, ICU beds and more — and hasn’t been getting clear answers.
“We need a lot more transparency,” she said.
Mistake led to overcount of coronavirus testing in Orange County – Orange County Register
The county has counted coronavirus testing in a way some consider misleading, reporting total tests performed, but not how many individuals were tested (some people are tested multiple times).
This error may stoke further skepticism in the numbers.
“That’s quite concerning,” said Eva O’Keefe of San Clemente, founder of Stay Healthy OC/COVID-19, a Facebook group with nearly 500 members that tries to deal in data, not rumors. She has been asking the county to explain puzzling changes in reports on testing, hospitalizations, ICU beds and more — and hasn’t been getting clear answers.
“We need a lot more transparency,” she said.
Mistake led to overcount of coronavirus testing in Orange County – Orange County Register