I think it could be more than positive tests. In some places, you could have the symptoms and are “presumed” to have CoVid because you can’t get tested very quickly, and by the time the result is back, the quarantine time is finished. This happened to someone who works with my husband (virtually).
He had a sore throat and a cough, and a mild fever. The tests in his area were backed up for nearly 2 weeks. The doctor told him that he was “presumed “ to have CoVid, and to stay home from work. He wrote him a doctors note that said he had to quarantine for 2 weeks before he could go back to his facility, plus remain fever free for at least 24 hours if it got worse late in the cycle. This was late summer in Texas.
The guy could work virtually from home once he was better, which was about a week, but they wouldn’t allow him into the facility until his quarantine period was over. He was reported to the state health board as having CoVid, and his facility was notified by them (and him, too).
So you don’t even have to have a positive test result to be a “case.”
Thanks for pointing that out.