Posted on 03/31/2020 7:31:19 PM PDT by ransomnote
CORONAVIRUS testing in the UK has been delayed after kits were found to be contaminated with Covid-19, it's reported.
Key components ordered from overseas for the tests were found to contain traces of the virus earlier this week.
It comes as Britain attempts to ramp up mass testing after capacity appeared to lag behind other major nations, including the US and Germany.
To meet demand and boost production, the government has enlisted private companies to help - with plans for thousands of kits to be made available within the coming weeks.
But in a blow to production one of those suppliers sent an email on Monday to government laboratories in the UK warning that a delivery of "probes and primers" would be delayed because it was contaminated, the Telegraph reported.
Eurofins, which is based in Luxembourg, admitted there had been "an issue" but said other private providers had suffered the same problem.
It's unclear how the components were contaminated and senior health sources told the newspaper that the delay wouldn't significantly impact the UK's testing programme.
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This is not good
Don’t tell me..China.
I suspect that it would not be infective.
Covid-19 testing kits coming contaminated with covid-19
Not a big selling point....
Ya think?
L
“Key components ordered from overseas”?
Is this ‘code’ for ‘crap made in China’?
Asking for a friend.
Probably used (contanimated) parts being sold as new.
But all tests would be positive.
I’m Shocked, Just Shocked! /s
Ok, I won't tell you.
Eurofins has a lot going on in China.
Intentional?
Good luck with that new iPhone.
P
It’s a PCR based assay and the source of the contamination is obvious, its amplicon from their development assays.
Most likely caused by sloppy techs in their development labs contaminating their manufacturing spaces with PCR product….
I have been in the assay development /assay manufacturing business for 25+ years. Been there done that.
It’s a mess to clean up. One time I had to relocate my entire manufacturing facility due to a similar problem, caused by development.
Key components ordered from overseas for the tests were found to contain traces of the virus earlier this week.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Where “overseas”, pray tell? China, by any chance?
JUST SEE THE BAT FUR!
real simply just to give you an idea:
“probe” is a chemical that attaches to the target replicated allow the test to receive a some sort of chemical mechanism for identifying test outcome. could be something like a color.
primer attaches to the gene or base pair location that will start the sequence to be tested or replicated to amplify the suspected presence of the virus. it’s the amplification that gives the probe it’s power and sensitivity to detect.
any contamination renders the test always positive and completely useless.
so they are no danger to patients or workers.
hope that helps
Does help. I thought probe might be UK term for swab! :D
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