43,000 people may have been wrongly given a negative COVID-19 PCR test result

People given the all-clear after visiting a government-run #COVID19 testing site are being urged to get rechecked over fears results wrongly showed them as negative.

This is very concerning: “At least 43,000 people may have been wrongly given a negative Covid test result, the UK Health Security Agency has said, as it announced the suspension of operations at a privately run lab in Wolverhampton.”

Around 43,000 people are estimated to have incorrectly recorded as testing negative between 8 September and 12 October. Mostly in South-West England but also including some in the South-East and Wales.

What people are saying?

Jane Merrick Since news of the unusual results first emerged last week, there were a number of theories investigated including new variant, cross-reactivity with seasonal coronaviruses. Anyone who got a negative PCR after a positive LFT should get re-tested.

Nick Triggle Precise cause unclear but NHS Test and Trace estimates 400,000 samples have been processed through the lab. Vast majority negative, but an estimated 43,000 may have been given incorrect negative PCR test results between 8 sept and 12 October, mostly in south-west.