Oakland County health official says more positive COVID-19 test results need to be reported

As Oakland County Health officials do their part to fight the deadly coronavirus they are running into a roadblock.
 
"It's been a challenge with not being able to keep up with positive results," said Dr. Russell Faust.

 
Faust, the director of Oakland County's Health Division,  said that the problem is that medical facilities in the county don't require a lab to process a COVID-19 test.

"They can be run right at the urgent care, right at the physician's office, right at the pharmacy and they're rapid turnaround," he said.
 
Labs automatically report test results to state and county officials, but now that other players are getting into the testing game, the ball is getting dropped.

"The CARES Act requires all COVID-19 diagnostic tests be reported," he said.

Faust says graduation parties in the county have led to an increase in positive cases. But the lack of reporting these cases leads to state totals being incorrect.

"And grossly underestimates so that's a problem," said Faust. 

When county health officials don't receive positive test results they can't do things like contact tracing.

"Being able to isolate those folks, conduct a case investigation, find out who the contacts are, and conduct contact tracing," he said.
 
Oakland County officials are working to contact these facilities not reporting this required information. If you are a medical provider and did not submit testing results, go to Covidresults@oakgov.com to learn how you can submit this valuable information that will ultimately save lives. 

"We don't want this to be punitive," Faust said. "We just want these folks to be aware that this is a mandated reported disease."

Dr. Russell Faust.