The Harrison County resident diagnosed with Kentucky's first case of coronavirus was twice denied testing for COVID-19 at the direction of the Kentucky Department of Health, the initial treating hospital said in a statement Saturday.

According to a statement on Harrison Memorial Hospital's website, the "patient presented with flu-like symptoms" but did not meet state criteria for testing. The individual's symptoms were treated and they were released, the statement said.

However, the patient's symptoms did not subside, so the patient returned to the Cynthiana hospital where further tests were completed.

Again, according to the statement, the state Department of Health determined the patient did not qualify for coronavirus testing.

Even though the patient did not meet COVID-19 screening criteria, Harrison Memorial admitted the patient due to their condition into a negative isolation room, the statement said.

More:Here's what to do if you have coronavirus symptoms in Kentucky or Indiana

Related:Kentucky county closes schools as state braces for more coronavirus cases

"From there, the patient was transferred to a tertiary care facility."

The hospital learned of the patient's positive test for the coronavirus on Friday.

The patient is being treated at the University of Kentucky's Chandler Hospital in Lexington.

“Like other states, Kentucky has been following the CDC guidelines for who and when to test," Public Health Commissioner Dr. Steven Stack said in an emailed statement Saturday night. "This individual was tested when CDC guidelines and clinician judgment determined testing was medically indicated.”

The roll-out of coronavirus testing across the U.S. has been criticized for its slow start.

The initial test kits supplied to state public health labs by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention contained a flawed component, leading to delayed testing capabilities across the country as the virus spread.

The CDC corrected the error and states have gradually been able to conduct testing on their own. Kentucky’s own public health lab became equipped to run COVID-19 tests on Monday, March 2.

When asked if the state was testing enough people, Beshear on Thursday said the state had been “testing appropriately.”

Lexington mayor:Carry on as normal in wake of Kentucky's first coronavirus case

“I believe our public health department has done a very good job in assessing the risks that there’s been,” Beshear said. “Once there’s the capacity to do more testing, then we should do more testing. Especially when private labs have the ability to do it.”

Stack said Thursday that at that time, all of the Kentuckians tested for the coronavirus were considered “low-risk” when using CDC criteria.

State epidemiologists work in conjunction with the CDC to determine when an individual should be tested, he said.

Stack said the state will make sure that the test is available to anyone who needs to be tested, but added that science and technology would take time. He said it would be harmful to release a test that does not give accurate information.

Stack said state epidemiologists work in coordination with the CDC to determine when testing is appropriate and when it is not.

“This is not their first rodeo,” he said of the epidemiologists. “They’ve been through this before with other disease conditions. I have absolute confidence in the depth of experience we have on our bench and the judgment they apply.”

Since learning of the positive test, Harrison Memorial Hospital is implementing precautionary measures to protect exposed staff.

"At this time, HMH has evaluated the staff members who had contact with the patient," the statement said. "Those employees who were exposed will follow the current CDC recommendations. HMH would like to stress that we have not had a staff member with symptoms, and we are taking precaution to ensure patient safety."

Background:Kentucky confirms first case of coronavirus; Beshear says state is 'prepared'

That protective process requires contacts to be isolated for 14 days after their known contact with the virus. If they are healthy after 14 days, these employees can return to work and other normal activities.

Reach Tessa Duvall at tduvall@courier-journal.com and 502-582-4059. Twitter: @TessaDuvall. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: www.courier-journal.com/subscribe.