Computer Glitch Left 800 Without Covid Test Results

The Food and Health Bureau has admitted that 800 people who tested negative for Covid-19 since the end of last month haven't received a text message informing them.

The bureau blamed a glitch in its computer system and said it expected to fix the problem. It says it'll try to notify people of their test results within 48 hours from now on.

Health authorities had previously not informed people who tested negative but "have gradually improved their computer systems since the end of November in order to notify people who have been tested negative via SMS messages", the bureau said in a statement.

"During the process of changing the computer system, due to technical problems in the relevant system, some people have not received the SMS messages containing their negative test results after being tested."

Officials confirmed earlier that the late pro-Beijing activist Leticia Lee and her husband were among the people who tested negative and were not informed.

Lee died on Wednesday and tested positive for the virus after her death. The coroner is examining the circumstances of her death.

Pro-Beijing lawmaker Priscilla Leung said the case demonstrated “major problems” with the government as it only found out about the technical issue days after Lee died.

Speaking on an RTHK radio programme, she said a leadership overhaul was needed to combat the pandemic here and accused the Food and Health Bureau and the Department of Health of poor coordination of their anti-epidemic efforts.

Leung said the authorities should consider asking more experts for advice.

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