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A26 U.S. NEWS
Monday 15 June 2020
Accuracy still unknown for many coronavirus tests rushed out

WASHINGTON (AP) — How ed to assess a test's true
accurate are the coronavi- performance.
rus tests used in the U.S.? Lab testing bears little re-
Months into the outbreak, semblance to actual —
no one really knows how sometimes imperfect —
well many of the screening conditions at hospitals, clin-
tests work, and experts at ics and testing sites noted
top medical centers say it Dr. Robert Kaplan of Stan-
is time to do the studies to ford University.
find out. "You're testing people in
When the new virus began parking lots, the patients
spreading, the Food and themselves are extremely
Drug Administration used its anxious and often unable
emergency powers to OK to follow instructions," said
scores of quickly devised Kaplan, a former associate
tests, based mainly on a director of the National In-
small number of lab stud- stitutes of Health.
ies showing they could suc- Kaplan and others say
cessfully detect the virus. those differences could
That's very different from explain why some tests are
the large patient studies not performing as expect-
that can take weeks or In this Friday, June 12, 2020 file photo, a nurse uses a swab to perform a coronavirus test in Salt ed.
months, which experts say Lake City. Last month, the FDA
are needed to provide a Associated Press warned doctors of a po-
true sense of testing accu- tential accuracy problem
racy. tential problems with some 110 authorized screening available, according to an with Abbott Laboratories'
The FDA's speedy response COVID-19 tests, including tests. The agency also said Associated Press review. rapid ID Now test, which
came after it was initially one used daily at the White it is tracking reports of prob- The government's emer- delivers results in roughly
criticized for delaying the House. Faulty tests could lems. Accuracy has also gency authorization pro- 15 minutes. The test has
launch of new tests during leave many thousands of been an issue with blood cess "requires a lower level been lauded by President
a crisis and after the Cen- Americans with the incor- tests that look for signs of of evidence," the agency Donald Trump and used
ters for Disease Control rect assumption that they past infections. said. Makers need only to screen the president,
and Prevention stumbled are virus-free, contribut- No screening test is 100% show that a test "may be his staff and visitors to the
in getting its own test out to ing to new flare-ups of the accurate. So details on ac- effective" instead of the White House.
states. disease as communities re- curacy are routinely pro- usual requirement to dem- The FDA alert followed a
But with the U.S. outbreak open. vided for tests of all types, onstrate "safety and effec- preliminary report by New
nearly certain to stretch on "In the beginning, the FDA including seasonal flu, hep- tiveness." They would have York University that found
for months or even years, was under a lot of pressure atitis, HIV and cancers. For to meet that higher thresh- Abbott's test missed be-
some experts want the to get these tests onto the example, rapid flu tests are old once the U.S. govern- tween a third to one-half of
FDA to demand better evi- marketplace," said Dr. Ste- known to miss 20% or more ment declares the emer- infections caught by a rival
dence of the tests' accu- ven Woloshin of Dartmouth of all cases, a factor doc- gency over. test in patients screened for
racy so doctors know how College, who wrote about tors weigh when treating Many of the commercial the virus.
many infections might be the issue in the New Eng- patients who have symp- test makers submitted re- Abbott rejected the find-
missed. land Journal of Medicine toms but test negative. sults from 60 samples, the ings, saying the research-
There have been more last week. "But now that For now, most COVID-19 minimum number required ers did not follow the in-
than 2 million confirmed there are plenty of tests out tests in the U.S. don't give and mostly used lab-pro- structions for using its test.
coronavirus cases in the there, it's time for them to data on real-world perfor- duced specimens of the The company pointed to
U.S. and more than 115,000 raise the bar." mance, including how of- virus. The FDA now recom- alternate patient studies,
deaths, according to data The FDA said in a statement ten the tests falsely clear mends the use of nasal including its own, that have
compiled by Johns Hopkins that it has already asked patients of infection or swabs or other real samples found the test successfully
University. Cases in nearly multiple test makers to do falsely detect the virus. That from people screened for detects between 91% and
half of U.S. states are rising. follow-up accuracy stud- information is lacking for all coronavirus. 95% or more of virus cases
In recent weeks, preliminary ies, although it didn't say for but a few of the roughly 80 Experts say larger patient when compared to other
findings have flagged po- how many of the more than commercial screening tests studies patients are need- tests.q

Report: 40,000 cruise ship workers still trapped at sea

MIAMI (AP) — More than Cruise lines stopped sailing Some cruise ship workers America. Royal Carib- Barbados has allowed for
40,000 cruise ship workers in mid-March after several have started being repatri- bean also flew more than crew repatriation flights
are still stuck at sea be- high-profile outbreaks at ated to their home coun- 1,200 Filipino crew mem- from its airports.
cause of concerns about sea. More than 600 peo- tries. bers home last week from For most people, the coro-
the coronavirus. ple fell ill aboard Carnival About 3,000 Carnival Greece, Dubai, the United navirus causes mild or mod-
The Miami Herald reports Corp.'s Diamond Princess Cruise Line workers got off States and Barbados, ac- erate symptoms that clear
that at least 42,000 workers while it was quarantined off in Croatia earlier this month cording to the Herald. up within weeks.
remain trapped on cruise Japan, for example. Four- to catch rides and flights Several Caribbean coun- But for others, especially
ships without paychecks, teen passengers died. home across Europe. MSC tries haven't allowed cruise older adults and people
and some still are suffer- The U.S. Centers for Dis- Cruises has flown more than ships to dock in their ports with existing health prob-
ing from COVID-19, three ease Control has prohib- 1,000 Indian crew members out of concerns that they lems, the virus can cause
months after the industry ited cruises in U.S. waters home on charter flights would cause spikes in the severe symptoms and be
shut down. through July 24. from Europe and South number of virus cases. Only fatal.q