Tulsa Independent Testing Sites Report COVID Spike

An increasing trend of COVID-19 cases nationally hasn’t yet shown up in government statistics in Tulsa, though an independent testing site reports brisk business, and one hospital reports increasing admissions. Wastewater surveillance also shows increasing infections over the last few weeks.

“Testing has just skyrocketed in the last week and a half,” said Evelyn Whitworth, who runs Tulsa Mobile Covid Testing. “It's been slowly building since the first of July, but the last week and a half, I've been as busy as I've been since Omicron, really,” she said.

The Tulsa Health Department says their indicators are not yet showing any dramatic increase in cases. Epidemiologist Abhishek Shakya with Tulsa Health said, “If you look at Tulsa, we do not have that much here, the numbers are low, and the community risk is low right now.”

The CDC has not yet released a date for the updated booster to be available or the guidelines for who will be eligible to receive it.

“My encouragement is that as soon as the booster comes out, and if you're eligible, go ahead and get yourself protected,” said Shakya.

Saint Francis Hospital spokesperson Lynn Casey said admissions were increasing week over week, but it was steady, not rapid, and nowhere near the peaks of the last two years. Hillcrest reported an increase in positive cases but no corresponding increase in admissions. The primary symptoms reported were mild cough, sore throat, nasal drainage, and sometimes a low-grade fever.

COVID tests are available over the counter for as little as $8, which has resulted in more people testing at home.

Whitworth said her lab, which offers documentation needed for travel and some other situations, sometimes has 9 out of 10 tests come back positive.