COVID-19 cases, tests on the rise

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — As the number of COVID-19 cases rise across the state, health officials say they are seeing an uptick in the number of tests being administered.

At the Ohio Expo Center and State Fair Celeste Center, Columbus Public Health has partnered with the area’s three adult hospitals to offer testing.

According to Dr. Mysheika Roberts, the city’s health commissioner, the hospitals are running their maximum of 150 tests per day at the fairgrounds. That is about 30 more tests run compared to last week and the week prior.

Despite the increase in testing, Dr. Roberts told NBC4 that the region is doing well in terms of testing capacity.

“I talk to my hospital partners about that on a regular basis,” she said. “I think right now, we’re in good shape.”

Dr. Daniel Bachmann, from The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, said the increased testing is the result of more patients showing symptoms of COVID-19.

He, too, said the hospitals are able to provide tests, as needed.

“There have been points during the pandemic that we have not had the same capacity that we currently have, but that has been built up over months now and our capacity is meeting our demand currently,” he explained.

Dr. Roberts closely watches a number of factors related to COVID-19, with testing capacity being one of those.

“You have to keep in mind that for many of our hospital partners, we are at the mercy of some of these larger manufacturing labs to provide us with the reagents and other solutions we need to run the tests,” she said. “Where we are right now, today is good, but with everything happening around the country, that could quickly change.”

As a result of things potentially changing, Dr. Roberts said she communicates weekly with the hospitals’ chief medical officers so they can respond as needed.

For more information on testing options, click here.