In the UK, thousands of people could have received a false corona test result.
The health authority is initiating an investigation.
According to the Robert Koch Institute, Wolverhampton - Great Britain is a high-risk area, i.e. an area with a particularly high risk of infection due to particularly high incidences for the spread of the Sars-CoV-2 coronavirus.
The seven-day incidence in the United Kingdom is almost 400. In view of these high case numbers, a laboratory error that has been made seems all the more fatal: Around 43,000 people in England could inadvertently have wrongly received negative corona test results.
Laboratory error in the UK: Corona PCR tests affected
As the health authority Health Security Agency announced on Friday (October 15), the tests in a laboratory in the city of Wolverhampton (United Kingdom) have been suspended.
A total of around 400,000 tests were evaluated there.
"The vast majority of these will have been negative results, but an estimated 43,000 people could have received a false negative PCR test result between September 8 and October 12, mainly in the south-west of England," the agency said.
Problems with corona tests: authorities determined
The Health Security Agency has opened an investigation.
Technical problems with the tests themselves could be ruled out.
Accordingly, these can continue to be used as usual.
The authorities are now trying to identify the people who may still be infectious.
They also called on their close contacts to also be tested for the corona virus.
"We have recently seen an increase in positive rapid test results followed by negative PCR test results," said Will Welfare of the Health Security Agency.
This fact alarmed the authorities.
In Bavaria, however, the incidence continues to rise and has now reached its highest level since May.
One community even blew up a seven-day incidence of 300.
(dpa / jsch)
