‘Typing mistake’ makes a mess of boy’s Covid-19 test

The Covid-19 test result of a 12-year old boy at the PCR Lab of Khanpur 300 Bed Hospital in Narayanganj city came negative.

The same day, the authorities informed the family of the boy that he was Covid-19 positive.

The boy's family is now worried that he has both positive and negative reports for Covid-19. 

However, the relevant authorities say that this is a "typing mistake." They will test the boy again.

The family was informed the matter Sunday noon through text messages from the district health directorate.

Humayun Kabir, father of the 12-year boy Sakib, said that six of his family members provided samples for testing at the PCR Lab of Khanpur 300 Bed Hospital.  

"On Sunday noon, the authorities made a phone call saying that my boy was Covid-19 negative. After a while, they phoned again and said the boy was Covid-19 positive," he said.

"The remaining five of the family are Covid-19 negative but it was painful for me to know that my son is Covid-19 positive.

"We are highly tensed about the matter.

"When contacted, the hospital authorities asked me to visit the hospital again on Monday to provide samples of my boy," said Kabir.

Zahidul Islam, Upazila health and family welfare officer of Narayanganj Sadar, said that he was aware about the matter.

Later, the residential medical officer of the hospital confirmed that the boy was coronavirus positive, he added.

"There have been some problems in the report of that boy," said Shamsuddohoa Sanchoy, caretaker of Khanpur 300 Bed Hospital.

Because of typing mistake, there might be two different reports, he said adding five other members of the family were Covid-19 negative. "So, we will test the sample from the boy on Monday."