Testing glitch leads to 90 false-positive COVID-19 tests in Connecticut: 5 details

About 90 people in Connecticut received false-positive COVID-19 tests due to a testing system flaw, according the state's public health department.

Five things to know:

1. The Connecticut Department of Public Health reported a testing system flaw affected 90 of the 144 people tested between June 15 and July 17. Many of the false-positive tests were for nursing home residents.

2. The state reported the flaw to the manufacturer and FDA. The state is now taking steps to notify individuals that received false positives.

3. Deidra Gifford, Connecticut's acting public health commissioner, released a statement that the department has made changes to ensure tests from the same platform are accurate and all positive tests will be further analyzed by several laboratory scientists. If needed, individuals will take new tests with another method.

4. The health department's lab scientists discovered the false positives while examining previous samples to determine the feasibility of testing pooled specimens.

5. The health department said it plans to adjust the overall COVID-19 case numbers reported downward as a result of the false positive if those individuals test negative.

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