The rise in testing is not driving the rise in U.S. virus cases

About 21,000 coronavirus cases were reported per day in early June, when the positive test rate was 4.8 percent.

As testing expanded, the positive test rate should have fallen. Even if it had stayed the same, there would have been about 38,000 cases reported today.

Instead, the positive test rate has nearly doubled, and more than 66,000 cases are now reported each day.

As coronavirus cases have surged in recent weeks, President Trump has repeatedly said the growing case count is a result of increased testing, not a worsening outbreak. An analysis by The New York Times, however, shows the rise in cases far outpaces the growth in testing.