Investigation over incorrect Covid-19 test results at Wolverhampton lab continues a year on
An investigation into a Wolverhampton lab which issued incorrect Covid-19 test results to around 40,000 people is continuing a year on from the incident.
Health leaders said an estimated 43,000 people may have been handed the wrong negative PCR test results provided by the city's Immensa Health Clinic Ltd.
NHS Test and Trace suspended testing operations at the site – on Wolverhampton Science Park – after reports people received the negative results, after having previously tested positive on a lateral flow test.
It means people will not have needed to isolate and could have potentially spread the infection to others. The errors relate to test results given to people between September 8 and October 12, 2021, mainly in the South West of England but with some cases in the South East and Wales.
Now the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) – which launched the probe last year – said it was continuing a year on with an update provided in "due course" over the issue.
Dr Will Welfare, incident director for Covid-19 at the health body, said: "A full investigation remains ongoing and we will provide an update in due course; we cannot comment on any information that could form part of these investigations before they are complete.
"We suspended testing at the Immensa Wolverhampton laboratory following an ongoing investigation into positive LFD (lateral flow) results subsequently testing negative on PCR. Those affected were contacted as soon as possible."
The South West recorded its highest rate of new Covid-19 cases in the aftermath of the error, which was blamed for the increase, since comparable figures started in summer 2020.
A total of 32,815 cases of the virus were recorded in that region in the seven days to October 15, the equivalent of 579.9 per 100,000 people – up from 16,910 cases, or 298.8 per 100,000, in the previous seven days.
