Covid PCR tests: at least 43,000 in UK may have had false negatives

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.

NHS test and trace has suspended testing operations provided by Immensa Health Clinic Ltd at its laboratory in Wolverhampton, the UKHSA said.

The move comes after an investigation into reports of people receiving negative PCR test results after they have previously tested positive on a lateral flow device.

NHS test and trace said about 400,000 samples had been processed through the lab, the vast majority of which will have been negative results.

NHS test and trace is contacting the people that could still be infectious to advise them to take another test.

The UKHSA said it was “an isolated incident attributed to one laboratory but all samples are now being redirected to other laboratories”.

Dr Will Welfare, the public health incident director at UKHSA, said: “There is no evidence of any faults with LFD or PCR test kits themselves and the public should remain confident in using them and in other laboratory services currently provided.”

This comes after members of the public were urged to book further testing after some PCR tests at a government-run site in Berkshire resulted in false negatives.

West Berkshire council said in a statement some of the tests at the Newbury Showground testing site, operated by the Department of Health and Social Care, “have had results sent out that may have incorrectly shown as negative for Covid-19”.

It added: “After receiving reports from local residents in recent weeks that there were concerns about the accuracy of test results from the site, we passed these concerns on to the DHSC for further investigation.

“The DHSC has now confirmed that a number of sites nationally may have been affected by this issue, including the one at Newbury Showground.”

People who received a negative result for a PCR test between 3 and 12 October, as well as their close contacts, were “strongly” encouraged by the local authority to take another test.

Councillor Graham Bridgman said: “Testing continues to remain important as we learn to live with Covid and anyone who has symptoms, or who has been in contact with someone who tests positive, should book a PCR test straight away. We also strongly encourage the public to do twice weekly lateral flow testing.”

The DHSC has been contacted for comment.