Bath Rugby’s positive Covid-19 test results were ‘human error’
A laboratory has apologised after wrongly telling Bath Rugby more than a dozen members of their squad had coronavirus.
Randox Health told the club 19 members of their team - including staff and players - needed to self-isolate after recording positive results.
The Premiership club’s training ground, Farleigh House, was subsequently shut and a deep clean carried out while all training was halted.
Their upcoming game against table-topping Bristol Bears was also called into question, with players due to undergo further testing.
But the club has since been told 18 of the 19 ‘positive’ tests were in fact negative - meaning the majority of their players and staff are no longer required to self-isolate.
"It is a huge and welcome relief to understand that this was a false alarm,” club Chief Executive Tarquin McDonald said.
Randox blamed the false results on “human error” and said “robotic systems” had since been introduced to avoid this happening again.
A Randox spokesperson said: "As a result of routine risk analysis Randox discovered that in an isolated incident, operators failed to follow the established and robust procedures that Randox have in place for Covid-19 testing.
"Randox apologises for any inconvenience caused.”
Premiership Rugby has confirmed it will investigate the matter.
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