Four persons from nearby villages in Goalpokhor-II block of North Dinajpur received reports confirming they were Covid 19-positive, the catch being none underwent a test.

This is not the first time that anomalies have been detected in test reports, raising uncomfortable questions for the state health department.

District health officials ordered an inquiry while admitting to this compilation error.

“We have ordered an inquiry. Anybody found responsible will face departmental action,” said R.N. Pradhan, the district’s chief medical officer of health.

Sources said that the district health department decided to conduct RT-PCR tests on swab samples collected at random from residents following a sudden spike in Covid-19 cases in the block.

Accordingly, a list of 80 people from villages under Belon panchayat of the block was made by the panchayat and sent to the health department, panchayat member Tauf Alam said.

On August 11, the health department held the camp where out of 80, 73 gave their samples. Among the rest seven, some did not attend the camp and a few left without giving their samples. All the samples were brought to the Raiganj Government Medical College & Hospital for the RT-PCR test and reports sent to Belon panchayat on August 14.

Alam said the reports sprung the real surprise. “Among the 73 samples, 10 tested positive. But of the seven persons who did not give their samples, four reported positive. People started avoiding Feroze Alam, Mohammad Mamun Rashid, Mohammad Harun Rashid and Jahur Alam as Covid patients though they had not given their samples.”

Feroze, who owns an oil mill and is a wholesaler, said he had to shut his business.

Alam said they were trying to make residents believe that none of these four had been tested. “But now, of the 73 who gave their samples, the 10 who tested positive are questioning the veracity of test reports.”