Wiltshire Public Health chief says false negative tests part responsible for rise in Covid cases

Covid cases in Wiltshire have surged by nearly 20% in the last seven days and the county’s public health chief says the jump is down to false negative PCR tests.

In the last week, 4,394 new cases of the virus have been recorded among the residents of Wiltshire.

This means that the infection rate in Wiltshire stands at 871.7 cases per 100,000 people.

That's a 17.9% increase from the previous week.

In the run up to Halloween, Wiltshire’s public health team has recommended that trick or treaters take hand sanitiser with them and keep a reasonable distance where possible.

Director of public health in Wiltshire, Kate Blackburn said:

“We know life feels like it’s back to normal but we need to continue to be aware that Covid-19 is spreading in the county at the moment much more than we would like.

“We don’t begrudge anyone looking forward to half-term and Halloween, as a lot of activities have been put on hold over the last year and a half, and we know how much they mean to people.

“All we’d ask is that people make informed choices based on their own individual circumstances and continue to take measures to keep each other safe.”

She explained the rapidly rising number of new cases over the past two weeks was down to the false negative PCR tests.

These new cases are highest in the 10 to 14 age range with over 4,400 cases per 100,000 people.

Kate added:

“What we then see is an increase across the parent-age. We’ve got high rates across the 35 to 49 age range.

“It’s to be expected with restrictions lifting, people mixing more, the weather getting cold and people mixing more indoors – it gives the virus opportunity to spread.

“Undoubtedly the issue with the laboratory with false PCR negative tests – predominantly affecting the south west – meant that people who were potentially infectious went back into the community and seeded the infection. I think that’s why we’ve seen such a big jump in the south west.

“But also we’ve had relatively low case rates throughout the pandemic, so the natural immunity would have been lower than we’ve seen across the country."

Last year, post-October half-term cases rose in the county due in part to sleepovers, Halloween parties and bonfire parties.

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