Hundreds wrongly told their Covid test was negative in Australia lab error

28 December 2021, 10:52 | Updated: 28 December 2021, 11:00

A drive through testing clinic in Sydney, Australia
A drive through testing clinic in Sydney, Australia. Picture: Alamy

By Patrick Grafton-Green

A major laboratory in Australia told hundreds of people they did not have Covid when they had actually tested positive.

The lab, in Sydney, New South Wales, said 886 people had been affected by the error over Christmas.

The state is seeing a huge surge in coronavirus cases driven by the highly infectious Omicron variant.

READ MORE: Javid rules out Covid measures for now – but hints at restrictions after new year

READ MORE: France announces new Covid measures as people banned from standing up in bars

There are concerns the error could lead to a further spike in cases due to household mixing over the festive period.

The SydPath lab, based at St Vincent's Hospital in the east of the city, said people who have been affected are being contacted.

A spokesperson for the hospital said: "We have identified what occurred and can confirm it was related to a specific human error. SydPath have put procedures in place to ensure this cannot happen again.

"This event comes at a time of unprecedented Covid-testing activity and SydPath's people, as with all pathology teams throughout NSW, are working around the clock to respond."

New South Wales reported 6,062 new coronavirus infections on Tuesday, down from 6,324 a day earlier.

Shadow Health Secretary says Labour would support more restrictions

Meanwhile Australia's Victoria and Queensland states have reported record levels of new daily infections as pressure on testing centres prompts calls for wider use of rapid antigen tests.

Queensland state reported 1,158 cases, the first time the state has seen more than 1,000 cases in a day, but hospitalisations remained low.

The state has more than 4,000 active cases of which 257 are reported to be the omicron variant.

Victoria state reported 2,738 new cases on Tuesday, beating the previous state record of 2,297 cases in mid-October.

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Telegraph writer Allison Pearson.

No further action to be taken against journalist Allison Pearson over social media post

Exclusive
Angela Rayner has paid tribute to John Prescott

Angela Rayner says John Prescott 'used to call her after PMQs to remind her to stay true to who she is'

Four men have been arrested accused of attempting to rob a mobile phone store

Undercover police arrest four men after EE shop raided by masked gang

Matt Gaetz withdraws as Donald Trump's nominee for attorney general amid sexual misconduct allegations

Matt Gaetz withdraws as Donald Trump's nominee for attorney general amid sexual misconduct allegations

Donald Trump Watches SpaceX Launch Its Sixth Test Flight Of Starship Spacecraft

Elon Musk pledges to fire civil servants who work from home

Seven-month-old baby mauled to death by family dog after leaning on animal while crawling, inquest hears

Seven-month-old baby mauled to death by family dog sustained 'catastrophic' injuries after leaning on pet, inquest hears

Starmer has backed the International Criminal Court over its arrest warrant for Netanyahu

Starmer backs International Criminal Court after it issues arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu

Five men charged over smuggling of migrants from UK to France in lorries

Five men charged over smuggling of migrants from UK to France in lorries following dawn raids

Rhiannon Skye Whyte was stabbed to death in Walsall

South Sudanese teen accused of murdering asylum seeker hotel worker with screwdriver 'refuses to appear in court'

Will Guyatt questions who is responsible for the safety of children online

Are Zuckerberg and Musk responsible for looking after my kids online?

Simone White has died following a poisoning with alcoholic drinks at a bar in Loas

British lawyer, 28, dies following suspected mass methanol poisoning at bar in Laos

Russia has claimed that Britain is directly involved in the war in Ukraine

Britain now 'directly involved in war in Ukraine', Russian ambassador to UK says

Finlay MacDonald is accused of trying to murder his wife Rowena

Jealous husband 'murdered brother-in-law and tried to kill wife' after finding text saying she planned to leave him

Teenager jailed for least 22 years after fatally stabbing motorbike enthusiast who named attacker in dying breath

Teenager jailed for at least 22 years after fatally stabbing motorbike enthusiast who named attacker in dying breath

Pie fortune heir Dylan Thomas, 24, has been found guilty of murdering his best friend William Bush (R)

Heir to £230m pie fortune found guilty of murdering his best friend on Christmas Eve

Matt Hancock giving evidence at the Covid 19 inquiry

Matt Hancock says government 'got it wrong' with funeral restrictions and visiting dying relatives during pandemic