Bartlesville Radio: The area’s best source for news, weather and sports!

The Oklahoma State Department of Health is expected to change the way it reports COVID-19 cases. This is according to an email reportedly from Maria Alexander, Regional Director for the Craig, Delaware, Nowata, Mayes, Ottawa, Rogers, Washington, and Wagoner County Health Departments addressed to county commissioners on Aug. 28

The email, which was first presented to KRMG Radio in Tulsa, states that the OSDH will be reporting an increase in the virus numbers in most counties as the report will include “probable COVID cases in addition to actual positive cases as confirmed by test results.”

In reporting its COVID-19 numbers, the State of Oklahoma has not included “probable” cases.

According to the email, "this will increase local county Covid numbers overnight. However these cases may be cases which date as far as March. The email adds "Since the increase will appear overnight and may cause your community some concern and some questions for you, I just wanted you to be aware.”

Another change mentioned in the email is Oklahoma’s shift in the way it calculates the testing positivity rate for COVID-19.

“Soon Oklahoma will follow the methodology supported by the majority of other states by the Johns Hopkins University of Medicine.” The change would allow “equal comparisons” to be made between states.

The official announcement could come as early as Friday.