There are any number of reasons for how the COVID-19 coronavirus may have began to infect China. Some say it was maliciously released, and while it is possible this happened, accidents also happen. For example, recently the CDC accidentally allowed a COVID-19 coronavirus infected person to leave quarantine after a failed test, at which time the person had to be recalled.
A botched test result from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention allowed an evacuee infected with the coronavirus to leave a San Diego hospital Sunday after initially being told by the CDC that they were in the clear.
The situation is detailed in a brief statement released by UC San Diego Health Monday evening, which says that all four quarantine patients admitted to its isolation units after arriving from China last week were discharged back to quarantine quarters at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar after the CDC shared with caregivers that their coronavirus tests came back negative.
“This morning, CDC officials advised San Diego (County) Public Health that further testing revealed that one of the four patients tested positive for (novel coronavirus),” the UCSD statement said. “The confirmed positive patient was returned to UC San Diego Health for observation and isolation until cleared by the CDC for release.”
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The two patients currently in isolation units at UCSD facilities are said to be “doing well” with “minimal symptoms.”
In an emailed statement Monday night, the university said that the infected evacuee did not meander out of the hospital to make their way back to Miramar: “The patient left UC San Diego Health the same way they arrived, with all precautions taken. The patient was wearing a mask per CDC instruction. The federal marshals transported the patient while wearing protection.”
It was not clear exactly how long the patient was present at the base before officials realized that their negative test result was actually positive. The university’s statement indicates that they were discharged from the hospital Sunday and returned on Monday, but specific times of day were not specified. (source)
It is unfortunate to make such a mistake, but accident do happen.
Regardless of what one thinks about the Chinese, they are human too and can make mistakes.
Sometimes, however, mistakes can be very costly, and given the seriousness of this virus, one is yet to see if this will have any further effects for the country.