Florida has faced a series of record-breaking days for COVID-19 cases and deaths in the last few weeks. In addition to the legitimate threat of the virus, some residents are reporting that they are facing false claims of COVID-19 diagnoses from unknown sources.
Though reports vary on the validity of the claims, several Floridians have taken to social media and spoken with media outlets about receiving calls that they tested positive for COVID-19 — without ever testing for the virus. Mindy Clark, a Sarasota, Florida, resident, told a news station that she received such a call recently. Clark told Florida news station WINK she waited in line for testing, but she never went through with the testing.
»MORE: Florida sets record for number of COVID-19 deaths in a day
“I got a call asking for me, and they told me that I had tested positive,” Clark said. “I was like, ‘Positive for what?' Then, the lady said for COVID, and I said, ‘That’s impossible.’”
After conversing with the representative on the other line, she was told she needed to prove she wasn’t positive. The state is investigating calls like Clark’s, but currently there is no proof of such calls, according to the Florida Department of Health. The department is responsible for releasing information about testing to individuals who tested at the state’s drive-thru testing sites. If an individual submits information to those at the testing site, it’s almost definite that they were tested, according to a report by the Sun-Sentinel.
“At this time, we have not had any reports of individuals receiving results from the site without being tested. Results are distributed via labs, and questions about false results should be directed to the appropriate testing lab,” the Department of Health said.
Brooke Liddle, the spokesman for American Medical Response, which administers testing at Holiday Park in Fort Lauderdale and three other South Florida locations, says paperwork with a test taker’s information (email or phone number) is filled out just before the test is administered.
“The paperwork is sent with the test to the lab. The lab wouldn’t have paperwork unless there is a test to go with it,” he said.
Just Thursday, the Sunshine State reported a record for COVID-19 deaths that occurred in one day. A total of 173 people died Thursday due to the virus, which broke the daily record set a week ago of 156 people dying of coronavirus in a day in Florida. The number of residents hospitalized due to the disease has climbed to more than 22,000.
Gov. Ron DeSantis acknowledged the alarming rates of COVID-19 deaths and cases in a news conference Thursday. He also addressed the claims of calls and texts regarding positive diagnoses for tests that reportedly never happened.
“We’ve looked at our state sites, and we have not found examples of that,” DeSantis said. “But I know most of the other folks who have talked about it, I think those are more private sites that they were talking about, but bottom line is it’s something we want to get to the bottom of.”
DeSantis advised those who have been contacted erroneously to call the Florida Department of Health with proof of either an email or text message.
Clark said her experience and those of others who received a call is especially difficult because the state has so many actual cases of the coronavirus.
“It’s such a bad time,” Clark said. “These last five months have been so bad. People don’t need these added mistakes.”
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