In her latest “media availability” video, Humboldt County Health Officer Dr. Teresa Frankovich answers questions about Public Health’s testing capabilities and some details about the results reported thus far.

Here, as usual, is a timestamped list of questions along with summaries of Frankovich’s answers. 

0:00: Was Humboldt’s streak of no new positive cases related to a decline in testing?

Several factors at play here, Frankovich says. “One is that, of course, I believe our shelter-in-place [order] has been effective.” Community transmission seems to have declined. She says we’re “frustrating” the virus by limiting spread. Also, many of the early cases were connected to one group of travelers who had multiple interactions. 

1:48: Is there an eventual goal to be able to test all Humboldt County residents?

Testing anyone with symptoms, even the mildly ill, would be “potentially important in terms of surveillance,” Frankovich says. With the asymptomatic, testing a certain percentage can give an accurate picture of community spread without having to test every last person, she adds. 

2:42: The Public Health supervisor recently mentioned a new type of test on the way. What’s currently in use?

The mainstay is a complicated test that requires a lot of microbiologist time. The county’s been working on acquiring the materials necessary to use a GeneXpert system, which would “definitely increase our capacity internally,” Frankovich says. The state recently supplied the county with point-of-care test equipment, which has a quick turnaround time of about 15 minutes per test but is not meant to be used in high volumes. The county plans to place it at St. Joseph Hospital, where it will be most useful. 

5:24: Would the GeneXpert test be used along with the existing tests? 

Maybe to start, Frankovich says, but ultimately the GeneXpert system should allow the county to test up to 160 samples per day. But broad, community-level testing would require more assets, such as a mobile testing unit from the state. 

6:26: Are any of the positive cases in the county from homeless folks?

The county is not reporting the housing status of individuals diagnosed. 

6:40: What’s being done to ensure that people who’ve tested positive are self-quarantining?

“We spend a lot of time with these patients in conversation … ,” Frankovich says. If there are concerns about compliance, the county gets law enforcement involved, she says. She does not say whether this step has been taken. 

7:15: How many people who share a house with a confirmed positive case — but who have not been tested — do you suspect have COVID-19?

The county is really making an effort to test everyone who is symptomatic and related to a case, Frankovich says. However, there are a couple of unusual cases where that hasn’t happened. 

7:56: Will there be an opportunity for local media to ask questions and follow-ups town hall-style? 

The media should send emails to the designated media email address. The public can call the Joint Information Center at 441-5000.