May 9 LOCS (CDC) Email

Subject: Lab Advisory: New COVID-19 Data Tracker Website for Laboratories
Audience: Clinical Laboratory Professionals
Level: Laboratory Advisory

On Thursday, May 7, 2020, CDC published a new, public-facing COVID-19 Data Tracker website. The site features laboratory testing data that detail specimens tested and reported by U.S. laboratories, including commercial and reference, public health, and hospital laboratories. Laboratories can use this website to access a variety of laboratory data:

• Number of tests reported nationally and by state
• Number of positive tests nationally and by state
• Percentage of laboratory test results that are positive nationally and by state

The data presented are aggregate data reported to CDC from state health departments and territorial jurisdictions. If a state did not report laboratory data for a specific day or is not reporting negative results, data presented on the website reflect what is reported on the state health department website or in the HHS Protect System. The website explains that the number of positive tests in a state is not equal to the number of cases, as one patient can be tested more than once, and not all laboratory tests are reported to CDC.

In future updates, county-level data will be provided and reported publicly.

If you have additional questions, please contact CDC’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Laboratory Working Group at eocevent405@cdc.gov.