Around 39,000 PCR tests gave false negative results between September 2 and October 12, 2021 at the Immensa Health Clinic Ltd laboratory in Wolverhampton (England), recalled the British outlet Sky News, transmitting information from the British Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
People unknowingly infected with the virus (mostly from South West England) therefore failed to isolate, failed to adhere to recommended barrier gestures and were the source of an additional 55,000 infections according to UKHSA experts. They estimate that each of them transmitted the virus to two other patients on average.
“Similarly, we estimate that there may be just over 20 additional deaths in these hardest-hit areas,” these experts added. In addition to these data, there are approximately 680 additional hospitalizations.
Richard Gleave, UKHSA’s principal investigator, also announced, always according to Sky News, that the “proximate cause” of these errors corresponded to “personnel errors” in the laboratory.
Testing at this private lab was suspended in October 2021 following the discovery of these bugs.
Source: BFM TV
