Repeated Errors in 'Positive to Negative' Test Results... Citizens Feel 'Anxious'

Positive to Negative, Suspected Cases in Gwangju and Nonsan Reversed Following Lotte World
Similar Cases Reported in Japan
Health Authorities: "Temporary Error, No Accuracy Issues"
Experts: "Testing Process Needs Review"

/Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kang Juhee] Recently, cases have emerged where individuals initially diagnosed as positive for COVID-19 were later reversed to negative, sparking controversy.

Although health authorities have stated that these are temporary errors and that there is no problem with the accuracy of the tests, some voices have raised concerns about the reliability of the COVID-19 testing process. Experts suggest revisiting the entire process from specimen collection to testing.

On the 12th, cases of COVID-19 positive results being reversed to negative occurred consecutively in Gwangju, Jeonnam, and Nonsan, Chungnam.

On that day in Gwangju, two students?a first-year student at Yudeok Middle School and a second-year student at Daekwang Girls' High School?tested positive for COVID-19, and in Nonsan, a person in their 70s with suspected symptoms also tested positive. However, additional tests revealed that all three were negative.

On the 15th, Kwon Gye-cheol, director of the Korean Society for Laboratory Medicine, stated at the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency's regular COVID-19 briefing, "The COVID-19 Diagnostic Test Management Committee reviewed the test results of the three suspected COVID-19 patients from Gwangju and Chungnam," adding, "It was determined to be a false positive caused by errors during the specimen handling process."

Similar cases had previously occurred in Seoul. On the 5th, a third-year student at Wonmuk High School in Jungnang-gu was diagnosed positive after visiting Lotte World in Jamsil but was later confirmed negative in subsequent tests.

A notice informing the suspension of outpatient services was posted in a hospital in Tokyo, Japan, on the afternoon of February 17. [Image source=Yonhap News]

In Japan, there were also numerous cases of COVID-19 test result reversals.

According to a report by Yomiuri Shimbun on the 1st, 58 medical staff working at Hirata Central Hospital in Fukushima Prefecture tested positive in rapid kit tests, but detailed examinations revealed that 52 of them, about 89.7%, were negative.

Additionally, in April, the Aichi Prefectural Institute of Public Health caused controversy by diagnosing 24 people who were not infected with COVID-19 as positive. Aichi Prefecture stated that some positive patient specimens appeared to have been mixed with specimens from negative individuals at that time.

Citizens have expressed concern over the repeated reversals of test results. Doubts about the reliability of COVID-19 diagnostic tests have also been raised.

A man in his 20s, office worker A, said, "I was very worried because confirmed cases occurred in places with large group infections, but I feel relieved and fortunate that it turned out negative," but added, "However, I don't know if we can trust COVID-19 diagnostic tests going forward. It's true that these errors have been happening repeatedly recently, so it's unsettling."

Another office worker, B, pointed out, "COVID-19 diagnostic tests are the only way to distinguish confirmed cases, but if errors occur during that process, how can we trust the tests themselves?" He added, "Isn't it possible that confirmed positive patients could receive negative results?"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Health authorities emphasized that these were errors occurring during specimen handling and that there were no problems with diagnostic tools such as test reagents.

Jung Eun-kyung, head of the Central Disease Control Headquarters, said at a COVID-19 briefing on the 15th, "As the volume of testing increases significantly, errors due to accumulated fatigue can occur," adding, "We will conduct an investigation of all entrusted testing institutions to identify any issues and develop improvement measures."

She continued, "However, we do not believe that the overall reliability or accuracy of the tests is compromised," and added, "Going forward, accuracy will be much more important than the quantity of tests, and we will work with experts to review and develop improvement plans."

Experts have suggested revisiting the entire process from specimen collection to testing.

Professor Lee Jae-gap of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Hallym University Gangnam Sacred Heart Hospital appeared on MBC Radio's 'Kim Jong-bae's Focus' on the 15th and said, "Recently, there have been increasing cases of false positives where negative results are reported as positive," explaining, "When patients occur, mass testing is conducted, but because so many specimens are collected, false positives can occur during that process."

Professor Lee emphasized, "It is necessary to re-examine the entire process from specimen collection to testing," adding, "If there are any laxities or improper procedures in managing the many suspected cases being tested, corrections must be made to prevent such situations in the future."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.