Only 1,060 tests done in 5-day blitz

Testing blitz produced real-time accurate COVID-19 data for the county

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY)- While known new cases of COVID-19 are trending down nationally and locally, according to the COVID TrackingPproject, testing is down as well.

Just last week there was an effort to ramp up testing in Yuma County that resulted in only 10% of the goal being met.

Out of 10,000 COVID-19 tests provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to Yuma County, in five days only 1,060 people were tested.

The other 8,940 tests now have to be returned to the state.

Even though the goal was nowhere near met, Kevin Tunell with the Yuma County Health Department says the testing blitz was still a success.

“The turnaround time was 24-48 hours. Whereas in previous weeks we’ve been experiencing 7-14 days with test results. That makes a huge difference when you’re trying to understand whats going on in the community at this moment,” Tunell said.

In the past, the data posted daily was dated by at least a week.

However, those five days of testing enabled the county health department to deliver close to real time COVID-19 analytics.

This is important when tracking the county’s COVID-19 positivity rate

Tunell said, “We suspect [Yuma County] might be lower than the 17-19%, but you need the data in order to prove that.”

Under the governor’s reopening guidance, the county must get below a 10% positivity rate and stay there for at least 14-days in order to reopen.

It's encouraged that all residents continue to get tested while there is ample access to testing.

Even if you're feeling completely healthy, they want you to get tested, because you could be infected, yet completely asymptomatic.

That's one reason why the virus continues to spread.