What Sonoma County residents need to know about ongoing coronavirus testing

Sonoma County public health officials continue to urge residents to call their doctor if they are ill and think they have flu-like symptoms and want to learn whether they should be tested for coronavirus.

Here are some things to keep in mind if you think you may have the viral disease:

* First call your doctor to discuss your symptoms.

* Top priority for testing goes to people doctors and public health officials deem high-risk for myriad reasons, including underlying health concerns or occupation. For example, certain health care workers, first responders, law enforcement officers and corrections personnel are getting tested.

* If you've recently traveled to China, or other COVID-19 hotbeds, or have come in contact with someone who has, you could be a prime test candidate.

* In most cases, people are screened via phone or digitally by a physician before getting a test.

* If you go to a drive-up testing site, you'll need a doctor's order for a test.

* If you don't have a doctor, you can call the county health department at 800-325-9604 or text “COVID19" to 211211 for information about the virus.

* Overall questions or concerns about testing can be directed to the Sonoma County Public Health Division at 707-565-4567 or by viewing novel coronavirus information online at sonomacounty.ca.gov.

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Ongoing Sonoma County test results:

Tests conducted: 1,397, as of Saturday

Negative results: 1,339 (96%)

Positive results: 58 (4%)

County's testing capacity: aiming to process 100 to 150 coronavirus tests daily

Other testing labs: national laboratories such as Quest and LabCorp also are conducting tests of county resident samples and reporting positive results to Sonoma County

Sources: Sonoma County health department; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Press Democrat reporting