Dozens left confused, worried after hospital mixes up COVID test results in western Turkey

A hospital in the western province of Eskişehir has made a scandalous error by mixing up COVID-19 test results, causing COVID positive patients to continue their daily lives due to thinking that they tested negative.

Duvar English 

Dozens of people were left confused and worried after a hospital in the western province of Eskişehir admitted that it mixed up COVID-19 test results, causing COVID positive patients to continue their daily lives as if they tested negative. 

The hospital, which is one of the three that provides coronavirus treatment in the province, conducted 90 PCR tests on March 25 and the results were entered into the system wrongly. Those who thought that they tested positive were placed under quarantine in their homes, while those who actually tested positive continued their lives as normal. 

The error was spotted during routine controls and 90 people were called to be notified of the scandalous mistake. The individuals in question will be tested again. 

Eskişehir Governor's Office released a statement, saying that an investigation was launched into the incident. 

One of those tested at the hospital, meanwhile, commented on the mistake on social media. 

"They initially called me to let me know that I tested positive. Three hours later they notified me that there was a mistake and that my test was negative," the patient, identified only by the initials as N.S.K., said, while another patient noted that they've been under quarantine at the hospital for three days after mistakenly diagnosed positive.