1 wrong COVID-19 test lands more than 1,000 in quarantine in Karnataka

On May 19, authorities in the town of Mudigere, Chikkamagaluru district, were shocked after the swab sample of a doctor in a Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC) tested positive for COVID-19.

The positive diagnosis immediately set off alarm bells. Authorities scrambled to complete the contact tracing and eventually quarantined a total of 485 primary contacts and 961 secondary contacts of the doctor.

But there was a twist to the drama. Almost all subsequent samples of P-1295 tested negative, which baffled authorities. All 28 close contacts of the doctor also tested negative.

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The throat swab sample of the doctor, who had earlier tested positive, has tested negative for COVID-19. He was tested six times. The sample was wrongly diagnosed for Covid-19 on May 19, said Deputy Commissioner Dr Bagadi Gautham, talking about the four confusing days.

Although the doctor tested positive, suspecting something amiss, said the DC, samples of the doctor were tested at the district hospital on May 20. The results were negative.

The next day, a sample was again collected and tested at the hospital. Another negative diagnosis.

Puzzled at the results, samples were sent to labs in Shivamogga and Hassan, where they tested negative.

Not content, the samples were sent to Bengaluru, where two labs threw up two results.

The swab sample was tested at NIMHANS and the result confirmed COVID-19. But the same sample was tested at the NIV, Bengaluru, twice and results were negative, said Gautham.

After the NIV test, the doctor, whose diagnosis mystified authorities, was discharged from hospital. The DC said that all his contacts had been sent back home from quarantine centres.

Positive case turns negative in Udupi

A 17-year-old girl being treated for blood cancer at KMC Manipal has tested negative on Saturday for Covid-19 after testing positive earlier.

As a precautionary measure, the swab samples of the girl, while being admitted to the hospital, was sent to the laboratory at Wenlock for testing.

According to the results made public a few days ago, the girl had tested positive for Covid 19. The swab samples were sent again to KMC lab twice for testing. Both the samples tested negative.