‘Deaths due to Covid lab error’

There may have been just over 20 additional deaths

A BLUNDER at a Covid lab could have led to the deaths of 20 people after thousands of positive cases were reported as negative.

An investigation by the UK Health Security Agency estimates that the error at the Immensa facility in Wolverhampton led to about 55,000 additional infections.

Researchers also estimated that there were about 680 additional hospital admissions “that may not otherwise have occurred”. They added: “We estimate that there may have been just over 20 additional deaths.”

Around 39,000 PCR tests were reported as negative when they should have been positive, mostly in the Southwest of England. Each person who received a false negative is estimated to have infected around two other people.

Richard Gleave, from UKHSA, said: “Staff errors within Immensa’s Wolverhampton laboratory were the immediate cause.” The Mirror contacted Immensa’s parent company, Dante Labs, for comment last night.