HYDERABAD: As many as 107 out of 177 samples collected in Pir Jo Goth, Khairpur, for coronavirus re-test, were found to be negative for the contagion by a private laboratory of Karachi on Thursday.

According to official sources, so far results of 152 out of 177 samples had been received and 107 were among them. However, 45 were found to be positive for the virus, said the officials.

All the samples were collected on chief minister’s directives after doubts were raised over authenticity of government laboratories’ test results by a leader of Grand Democratic Alliance and MPA from Pir Jo Goth whose tests by government private labs showed stark differences.

The MPA tested positive according to his test report by Diagnostic and Research Laboratory of Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences but when he opted for a second at a private lab in Karachi, he tested negative for the virus.

The controversy was triggered when health authorities collected 316 samples in Pir Jo Goth on May 7 after the burial of a suspected Covid-19 patient and found 250 to be positive for the virus, including the MPA. The suspected patient’s family had claimed she was not a Covid-19 patient.

“People among the 316 who had earlier volunteered for tests were not willing to come forward again for the re-test,” said a health official, adding the results of 35 samples were also awaited.

GDA leaders questioned authenticity of government run laboratories’ reports and believed either the kits being used by them were unreliable or they did not show accurate results.

Published in Dawn, May 17th, 2020