The state remains on track to begin the next phase of business reopenings later this week even as hospitalization numbers spiked Wednesday and health officials worked to resolve testing accessibility problems.

Shelley Zumwalt, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Health, said as of midday Wednesday testing is once again available to any Oklahoman who wants it.

The ongoing testing of 42,000 nursing home patients and staff as well as allowing public COVID-19 testing to asymptomatic Oklahomans overwhelmed the capacity of the state laboratories.

Because of the shelf life for all COVID-19 specimens, county health departments were asked only to test symptomatic people or those who came in contact with the disease to give the state time to resolve the bottleneck.

Stitt spokesman Charlie Hannema said state health officials have communicated with all counties that they are not to turn anyone away from testing.