Uganda’s COVID-19 cases back to 685 after deducting false positive results

Kampala, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT |  Uganda’s total number of COVID-19 cases has been pushed back to 685 after nine false-positive cases were deducted. 

Health Minister Dr Jane Ruth Aceng said while Uganda’s total cases had earlier on Saturday been put at 694 with the eight new cases picked from the samples tested on Friday, this number has been revised after deducting nine cases that had earlier been confirmed to positive yet they were negative.

She explained that these samples were picked from the Kampala area and tested at Makerere University Laboratory but later found to have discordance when some were re-tested at the Uganda Virus Research Institute laboratory in Entebbe. 

The issue of false-positive results was first revealed by President Museveni on Thursday. 

Aceng said they will intensify on their checks to guarantee the accuracy of results saying they will increase laboratory personnel and regularly calibrate their equipment. She added that the error was isolated and doesn’t affect other previously conducted tests.

Currently, nine laboratories have been assessed and met the requirements by the World Health Organization and the Centres for Disease Control to conduct tests for COVID-19, including the one at Makerere University lab that conducted the questionable tests.    

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