The UK has tossed more than 1,300 positive COVID tests after discovering a lab error, according to a report.
Officials with the government’s Test and Trace division contacted a total of 1,311 people who initially tested positive between Nov. 19 and Nov. 23 to tell them their results were moot, and that they needed to re-test, the UK Department of Health and Social Care said Saturday.
“An issue with a batch of testing chemicals meant their test results were void,” a National Health Service spokesman said. “Swift action was taken to notify those affected and they have been asked to take another test, and to continue to self-isolate if they have symptoms.”
The UK’s COVID testing system has been criticized for a series of errors in recent months. In September, more than 15,000 positive test results were absent from NHS records for several days, preventing officials from conducting contact tracing.
With Post wires
