Coronavirus and the States: Expanded Testing Means More Cases, Public Housing Authorities Struggle and More

Read Stateline coverage of the latest state action on coronavirus.

As testing has improved in some places, it’s also led to a spike in confirmed cases. Nearly 1,800 more New Yorkers tested positive Wednesday, Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo tweeted, bringing the total above 4,000.

Cuomo said 7,500 residents were tested that day, leading to the surge in results. As the nationwide tally for coronavirus cases climbed past 10,000, federal health officials warned that numbers would continue to climb as testing ramps up. 

President Donald Trump has signed a relief package that includes free testing.

While many states have set up their own testing sites, the federal government plans to establish 47 drive-thru testing sites in 12 states. 

Colorado has said it can process 250 tests a day but may need as many as five days to confirm results. Minnesota imposed limits on its testing, offering it only to health care workers, inpatients at hospitals and people at group living facilities, the Wall Street Journal reported. And South Dakota state labs ran out of supplies and stopped running tests.

Meanwhile, some wonder how politicians, celebrities and NBA teams have been able to quickly access the tests that seem to be in short supply for the rest of America.