The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment added another large testing lab to its electronic laboratory reporting system, improving COVID-19 data reporting, it was announced Thursday.

This addition adds to the state’s effort to transition labs from manual data entry to the electronic reporting system, which streamlines the state’s pandemic response.

During the lab’s onboarding, results previously reported but not yet entered into CDPHE systems will be added electronically. The additional results will result in reporting changes to state and county testing numbers Thursday.

This will add about 6,200 total test encounters and approximately 550 cases to the data dashboard with a report date of Nov. 10. These tests are from the last three weeks.

Now, approximately 90% of COVID-19 cases are reported to CDPHE through the electronic reporting system. CDPHE uses that 90% to estimate the state’s positivity rate.

These kinds of statewide data updates rely on facilities onboarding to the electronic reporting system. By using the electronic reporting system, labs reduce time and labor in reporting which directly benefits public health monitoring and state preparedness.