tech glitch blamed for low COVID-19 numbers

tech glitch blamed for low COVID-19 numbers

LOWER THAN USUAL NUMBER OFNEW COVID-19 CASES INOKLAHOMA.

THE STATE HEALTHDEPARTMENT SAYS THE REASONIS A TECHNICAL ERROR IN THEWAY CASES ARE ENTERED.OUR KATIE KELEHER WENT TOWORK INVESTIGATING THEPROBLEM - AND SHOWS HOW THESTATE IS ALSO WORKING TOIMPROVE CONTACT TRACING.KATIE?THE STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENTSAYS THE ERRORS COME FROMISSUES WITH FAX MACHINES ANDMANUAL DATA ENTRY.

AND THISISN'T THE FIRST TIME IT'SHAPPENED.IN A STATEMENT TO 2 WORKSFOR YOU - THE HEALTHDEPARTMENT SAYS THE SAMETECHNICAL GLITCH happened ONJUNE 5th AND JUNE 18th.

BOTHTIMES..

IT WAS RESOLVEDWITHIN 24 HOURS.

THE STATEHEALTH DEPARTMENT SAYSTESTING THAT happens ATSITES LIKE URGENT CARECLINICS AND PHARMACIES ARESENT OUT OF STATE AND TAKESEVERAL DAYS TO GET RESULTS- TYPICALLY BY FAX.

THEHEALTH DEPARTMENT ALSOSAYING TODAY IT'S WORKING TOIMPROVE CONTACT TRACINGEFFORTS ACROSS THE STATE.THEY'LL BEGIN USING TEXTMESSAGING ALONG WITH PHONECALLS TO REACH OUT TO ANYONEWHO MAY HAVE COME IN CONTACTWITH A POSITIVE CASE.HOWEVER - LILLIAN PHILLPSSAYS WHEN HER CLOSE FRIENDTESTED POSITIVE - SHE NEVERHEARD ANYTHING."As far as I've seen, like,it's really just up to thepeople that have testedpositive."IN A STATEMENT, THE TULSAHEALTH DEPARTMENT SAYS ITSEPIDEMIOLOGISTS AND CONTACTTRACERS CONTINUE TOINVESTIGATE ALL POSITIVECASES OF COVID-19 AMONGTULSA COUNTY RESIDENTS.MEANWHILE - THE STATE HEALTHDEPARTMENT SAYS - WHEN THEtechnical ISSUE IS FIXED -we can expect A SIGNIFICANTINCREASE IN THE NUMBERS OFNEW CASES.

BUT - LIKE THELOW NUMBERS - THOSE WON'TREFLECT THE INCREASEd RATEOF INFECTION.

The statehealth department ALSO SAYSFUNDING FROM THE CARES ACTWILL GO TOWARD MODERNIZINGTHE MANUAL DATA ENTRYSYSTEM.MANY, LIKE LILLIAN, AREHAVING ISSUES GETTING TESTRESULTS.

Coming up at six..HOW IT AFFECTED HER LIFE.AND WHAT THE STATE IS DOINGTO IMPROVE IT.

LIVE INTULSA, KATIE KELEHER, 2WORKS FOR YOU.