Universal COVID-19 Testing In Long-Term Care Facilities Found 40% Positivity Rate

Universal testing for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)—also known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)—in long-term care facilities identified a high number of asymptomatic cases. Among the 896 residents who were universally tested, about 39.6% were positive for SARS-CoV-2 ribonucleic acid (RNA). Of these positives, 55.4% were asymptomatic. About 13% of cases found during testing required hospitalization within 14 days following the test. Prior to the study, COVID-19 testing was conducted based on symptoms alone. Testing dates were not disclosed in the study.

In a two-week follow . . .