• About
  • Advertise
  • Careers
  • Write for us
  • Contact
  • Terms of service
Sunday, June 26, 2022
The Millennial Source
TMS
Home WORLD

Are false-positive test results exaggerating US coronavirus numbers?

byZachary Frye
June 30, 2020
in WORLD
Are false-positive test results exaggerating US coronavirus numbers?

Source: The New York Times

Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Linkedin




Over the past several weeks in the United States, coronavirus cases have increased significantly. According to data from Johns Hopkins University, which has become one of the most popular virus tracking sources, the US reported over 41,000 new cases on June 30.

This comes just days after the US logged its highest daily tally, with over 45,000 new cases last Friday. Despite the increases, daily deaths are on the decline. On June 29, the US recorded 346 deaths, which is much lower than the daily totals in April and early May, when over 2,000 deaths per day wasn’t uncommon. 

Public health officials say there are a host of reasons why the death rate is falling despite the increased cases, including more familiarity with how to treat the virus in hospitals and the use of Remdesivir in serious cases, the first drug shown to be effective against COVID-19. 

Other doctors say the death rate is lagging behind the jump in cases, but could increase again if those with asymptomatic infections don’t prioritize social distancing.

Among some segments of the public, however, there is distrust over the official number count. 

Spurred in part by public figures like industrialist Elon Musk, who suggested there was a “ridiculous number” of false-positive COVID-19 tests skewing the official numbers, especially given the decline in deaths, some are forgoing extra precautions, particularly young people. 

A real concern?

According to Ian Mackay, a virologist from the University of Queensland in Australia, false positive coronavirus test results are rare, but could occur if there is accidental contamination in the testing lab. 

“These tests are really sensitive so if there is a little bit of carryover from DNA produced in a previous test to the new test, then that could produce a positive result that’s actually not meant to be there,” he said. “It doesn’t happen in good labs that have good processes.”

To understand how a false positive could happen, it’s necessary to understand how the tests work. For the viral tests, which determine if somebody currently has the coronavirus, a swab is taken, usually from the back of the nose, which is then tested for identification with the specific genetic material that makes up COVID-19.

According to a report published in the New England Journal of Medicine, however, the more serious risk for the public isn’t false-positives, but the possibility of false-negatives. 

“False negative results are more consequential, because infected persons — who might be asymptomatic — may not be isolated and can infect others,” the authors noted.

According to Mackay, false-negatives could happen if the sample is taken too soon after an individual contracts the virus, or if it is too late in the virus cycle. 

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says symptoms may appear anywhere from 2 to 14 days after infection, but that the onset and duration of the period when the virus replicates and might be contagious is not yet fully known.

“Ten times higher”

Although incorrect viral testing results are likely impacting the COVID-19 number count to a minimal degree in one way or another, the CDC estimates that overall there is likely a vast undercount in official tallies. 

Data released by the CDC on June 26 indicates that viral infections in many parts of the US could be ten times higher than officially reported. 

“This study underscores that there are probably a lot of people infected without knowing it, likely because they have mild or asymptomatic infection,” said the head researcher for the study, Dr. Fiona Havers.

“But those people could still spread it to others,” she added.

Fauci’s warning 

In another public briefing with Congress on June 30, Dr. Anthony Fauci, a US health expert that has helped spearhead the country’s virus response, warned that growing public indifference to virus protocols, both publicly and by government, is making it harder to combat the health crisis.

In a recent interview, he laid out his concerns in no uncertain terms, arguing that the US was “unlikely” to achieve herd immunity – the percentage of the population immune to a disease needed to naturally slow its spread – if society as a whole gives up on fighting the virus. 

He also warned that if a significant segment of the population declines to get vaccinated when one is found, it could put into doubt the country’s ability to stamp out the virus. 

“There is a general anti-science, anti-authority, anti-vaccine feeling among some people in this country – an alarmingly large percentage of people, relatively speaking,” he said.

“We have to make sure we engage the community, as we’re doing now, to get community people to help us [sic] for people to understand that we are doing everything we can to show that [a potential vaccine] is safe and effective,” he added.

Have a tip or story? Get in touch with our reporters at [email protected]

Like TMS? Subscribe to our free daily newsletter

Related

Tags: Longer readNorth AmericaPolitics
ShareTweetShare

Latest Posts

Juul banned

The US orders Juul vapes off the market. Here’s what you need to know

June 24, 2022
US gun legislation

US Senate agrees to fast-track new gun law

June 23, 2022
January 6 hearings

The fourth day of the January 6 hearings show Trump’s pressure campaign on election officials

June 22, 2022

Senator Ron Wyden proposes a tax increase on price-gouging oil companies

June 15, 2022

US House of Representatives holds primetime TV hearings on the January 6 attack on the Capitol. Here’s what you need to know

June 13, 2022

Australia says a Chinese military jet created a “dangerous maneuver” at the South China Sea

June 7, 2022

UK’s Boris Johnson survives a vote of no confidence

June 7, 2022

France’s Macron says it’s important to avoid humiliating Putin

June 6, 2022

Biden to travel to Saudi Arabia this month to alleviate oil prices as OPEC+ increases production

June 3, 2022

SUBSCRIBE TO THE TMS NEWSLETTER

By providing your email, you agree to our Privacy Policy

The Millennial Source Ltd. 2021

No Result
View All Result
  • Your daily briefing
  • About us
  • Explore
    • Startups
    • Climate change
    • Tech giants
    • Crypto
    • The future of work
    • Banking giants
    • Economy
  • Lifestyle
  • Human stories
  • TMS archives
  • Write for us
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy & Terms

2022 The Millennial Source Ltd.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website.

You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings.

string(24) "jsonld single post debug"
The Millennial Source
Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.