1,702 coronavirus tests administered in May damaged in transit, Florida officials confirm

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Florida Division of Emergency Management has confirmed that it has been notified that 1,702 COVID-19 tests that were administered at drive-through and walk-up test sites throughout the state so far in May were damaged in transit.

Officials said more than 90,000 tests have been administered at the state-supported sites so far this month.

Every patient affected will be contacted and will need to be retested, department officials said Thursday in a statement.

Officials said affected patients will be prioritized for retesting at the site where they were originally tested.

“This month, the state has increased testing at drive-thru and walk-up sites across the state,” the statement read. “Since May 1, we have opened drive-thru sites in Sarasota, Lee, Miami-Dade, Escambia, Broward, Brevard and Volusia counties, as well as walk-up sites in Opa-locka, Daytona Beach, North Lauderdale, Miramar and Sarasota.”

Officials said the testing sites have allowed the state to perform more than 5,000 additional tests per day.

Since the opening of the state-supported sites, more than 196,000 virus tests have been administered, the department confirmed.

“The Division will continue to provide this testing across the state as we work to respond to COVID-19,” the statement from the department read.