UK testing error wrongly tells 1,300 people they have coronavirus
Christian Fernsby ▼ | November 28, 2020
Over 1,300 people in Britain were inaccurately informed they were infected with coronavirus after a laboratory error at the government's NHS Test and Trace system, the Department of Health and Social Care told Reuters on Saturday.Article continues below
"NHS Test and Trace has contacted 1,311 individuals who were incorrectly told that the result of coronavirus tests, taken between Nov. 19 and Nov. 23, were positive. An issue with a batch of testing chemicals meant their test results were void," a department spokesman said in an emailed statement.
"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 laboratory error that led to the problem was an "isolated incident" and was being investigated, the statement said.
The government has announced an extra 7 billion pounds ($9.31 billion) for its coronavirus testing and contact tracing system as part of an expanded programme of mass testing.
The NHS Test and Trace system has been heavily criticised after a series of high-profile failures since its launch earlier this year, and ministers concede it has not performed as well as they had hoped.
In September, nearly 16,000 positive case records were lost from the system for several days causing a delay in contact tracing.
The government blamed a "legacy" file system that cut off records after about 65,000 rows of data. ■ What to read next
A hyperactive weather pattern will bring an expansive low pressure system across mainland U.S., resulting in widespread impactful weather to progress from west to east across the country through the next few days.
Latest Baker Hughes reports U.S. rig count up 2 to 588
Massachusetts Governor Healey welcomes Jordan king
Attorney General coalition probing asset managers’ activity regarding Chinese investments
Amazon announces 1,000 new UK apprenticeship opportunities for 2025
EPPO probes steel import tax fraud with searches in UK and Germany
Police investigate extensive data breach on Valio’s network
U.S.: Prolonged heavy rain and snowfall
Croatia: Investigation launched against 2 individuals and 1 company suspected of subsidy fraud
Latvia-Sweden subsea cable damaged in Baltic Sea
Construction of Serbia-Hungary oil pipeline to begin by end-2025
Six contractors set to bid for Stad ship tunnel in Norway
New Cebu International Container Port construction begins
Baltic States join the European continental electricity grid
U.S. drillers add oil and gas rigs to 586
Trending Now
Greece to protest Italian sale of aerospace giant Piaggio to Turkish drone manufacturer Baykar
South Africa raises national minimum wage to $1.55 per hour
Moldova announces tender for constructing wind, solar parks worth 200 mln euros
Denmark supports hydrogen pipeline to Germany with $1.1bn of subsidies
EU invests over €1.2 billion in cross-border infrastructure
Today We Recommend Highlights
NIB provides loan to Tønder Biogas for one of Europe’s largest biogas facilities
Amadix to develop innovative diagnostic tests for early cancer detection
bp and Iberdrola begin construction of Spain’s largest green hydrogen plant
Cold-Link Logistics will create 123 new jobs in Robeson County, North Carolina
ArcelorMittal plans Alabama mill to produce electrical steel, will create 1,300+ jobs
Nazeem Noordali appointed CEO of International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation
Inizio appoints Colin Stanley as chief commercial officer
Bridgewest Group names operating partner and general manager, Europe
Keith Hale named group CEO to Unite Titian Software & Labguru (BioData)
Solithor appoints new CEO
Indonesia goes from $0.6 billion deficit to $5.9 billion surplus
Greece to repay $5.3 billion bailout debt early
Fraser Institute: Canada’s debt ranking falls from best in G7 to 7th worst
Kuwait reports $5.2 bln budget deficit in FY 2023-24
Eurozone reports modest Q1 GDP growth, stable annual inflation
Lockton revenue $3.55 billion
Motorcar Parts of America Q4 sales $189.5 million
Limoneira Q2 revenue $44.6 million
Lululemon athletica Q1 revenue increased 10% to $2.2 billion
PVH Q1 GAAP EBIT $205 million
Niger set to monetize massive gas reserves through Saharan natural gas pipeline
Putting the brakes on EV folly that choked the market
Oil discovery in Kavango Basin may mean huge benefits for Namibians
Cape Town and Dubai battle over Africa's energy future
Is America going to lose its superpower status?
U.S. resumes cattle and bison imports from Mexico under new protocol
Canada considers lowering tebuconazole residue limit on grapes, impacting U.S. imports
How expensive was agricultural land in Europe in 2023
Iran to import 50,000 tons of potatoes to stabilize prices amid rising food costs
JBS and partners donate 3 million tags to improve livestock traceability in Pará, Brazil
Employers prefer younger job candidates for AI roles although experienced workers perform same or better
Study finds workers misjudge wage markets
Some organizations may need to expand their hierarchical structures earlier than others
Study finds there's right way and wrong way to deliver negative feedback in workplace
Allyship is critical and its needs appreciation
BHP, Vale agree to pay $30B damages for Brazil dam disaster
Commission fines České dráhy and Österreichische Bundesbahnen €48.7 million over collusion to exclude common compe
SEC charges Keurig with making inaccurate statements regarding recyclability of K-Cup beverage pod
SEC charges John Deere with FCPA violations for subsidiary’s role in Thai bribery scheme
AG Bonta secures $3.9 million settlement with cryptocurrency company Robinhood
Magazine
Morocco’s first Radisson branded hotel opens in Casablanca
Buna channels, an unreal and beautiful part of Bosnia and Herzegovina
JW Marriott unveils Mindful Haven with opening of JW Marriott Hotel Nairobi
Sotheby's Sports Week returns with fantastic artifacts
Red Roof properties open in Michigan
2025 Chevrolet Equinox stands apart with fresh looks and capability
Hill Helicopters HX50, luxury in the sky
Opel Movano becomes fully equipped camper van
Porsche Panamera, new hybrid variants
Dodge Charger, 670 horsepower of electric
Embellish your home with PVC panels
You'll have to hurry if you want one of 20 new Louis Vuitton watches
Luxury duvet looks good, fells good and keeps you healthy
Vacheron Constantin, watches for life and more
Schüller kitchens, where functionality marries design
reMarkable 2, monochrome tablet for your thoughts and your eyes
OnePlus Ace 3V, first with Snapdragon 7 Plus Gen 3
ASUS Zenfone 11 Ultra, flagship with a reason
Samsung Galaxy S24 is photography powerhouse
Casette tapes are making a big comeback, and so are portable players
One more barrier to developing vaccine for HIV removed
Rwanda begins world's first clinical trial for treatment of Marburg virus disease
Rwanda restricts gatherings amid Marburg virus outbreak, to begin trials of vaccine
Teksas Attorney General reaches settlement in first-of-its-kind healthcare generative AI investigation
Potentially deadly fungal disease spreading in California
World-first carbon-14 diamond battery made
Einstein Telescope step closer
Exoplanet-hunting telescope to begin search for another Earth in 2026
India to build first phase of its own space station by 2028
Roscosmos chief approves schedule of creating Russian orbital station through 2033