Doctors tell Florida woman she ‘likely’ has coronavirus but refuse to test her for it

The potential first case of coronavirus in Florida is having trouble getting verified thanks to the alleged refusal of health officials to conduct the necessary tests, according to CBS Miami.

Speaking to CBS Miami, a woman who requested to remain anonymous said she started experiencing symptoms after a trip to Italy, but was unable to get a proper diagnosis.

“The doctor himself told me that, you know, he thinks that the results of my [preliminary] tests mean that I most likely have the COVID-19, but that the Department of Health did not want to pursue it further,” the woman said. “It was either the Department of Health or the CDC that decided not to further pursue the inquiry. But I was basically told that it is most likely that I have this virus and that I should self-quarantine.”

“Obviously, I would have liked to know if, in fact, I have this virus," she added.

While a Jackson Memorial Hospital spokeswoman refused to talk specifics about the woman's case, she told CBS Miami that the hospital is "following guidelines for testing established by the CDC and the Florida Department of Health."

"The woman’s story highlights a serious flaw in how the United States has responded to the coronavirus," CBS Miami's Jim DeFede reports. "Until recently testing for the virus was limited to only an extremely small group of individuals who had travelled to China or those who were critically ill. As a result, health experts have warned, that the small number of people testing positive for the virus gives the public the false sense the virus has been contained or is limited in the United States."

Read the full report over at CBS Miami.