Coronavirus: NHS tracing app now able to log all positive test results after flaw fixed

Problem had meant tens of thousands of results from tests at hospitals and Public Health England labs could not be processed

A flaw in the NHS Covid-19 app had meant thousands of test results could not be logged (REUTERS)

An issue preventing users of the NHS Covid-19 app in England logging a positive test result has now been resolved, but people who book a test outside the app still cannot log negative results.

Concerns were expressed when it emerged people tested in NHS hospitals or Public Health England (PHE) labs or those taking part in the Office for National Statistics infection survey could not enter their results on the newly-launched app.

The app has been available for download across England and Wales since Thursday, but the problem existed only in England.

The app's launch has been hailed by Health Secretary Matt Hancock as an "important step forward" in the fight against the virus.

A tweet from the official app account on Friday confirmed that certain test results could not be recorded, after a user tweeted to say he was being asked for a code - which he did not have - in order to enter his result.

A day later, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) confirmed it was "urgently working" to resolve the issue.

On Saturday evening, a spokeswoman said: "Everyone who receives a positive test result can log their result on the app.

"A minority of people, such as hospital patients, who were unable to log their positive result can now request a code when contacted by NHS Test and Trace to input on their app."

But users who report symptoms through the app and then book a test outside the app are still unable to log a negative result, the spokeswoman confirmed.

She said they are looking into providing that option after feedback from users.

When the issue emerged, the Welsh Government tweeted to confirm that while the app is used across both countries, there was no problem in Wales.

They said: "This issue doesn't apply to Wales. We took the decision to link our all-Wales laboratory testing systems with the NHS Covid-19 app.

"Here you'll get a code in your test result notifications to enter into the app, whether your result is positive or negative."

DHSC confirmed that as of Saturday evening in England if someone books a test through the official testing website, they will be provided with a code to log a positive result.

People who have tests done in an NHS hospital, through a PHE lab - which carry out tests for NHS hospitals - or in a surveillance study, can request a code from NHS Test and Trace to log a positive result.

Tests booked through the app have the results, whether positive or negative, logged automatically.

The latest Government data shows 61,481 test results - either positive or negative - were reported on Friday from tests carried out in PHE labs and NHS hospitals.

Meanwhile, the ONS infection survey showed that in the latest six-week period there were a total of 282 positive tests, in 226 people from 188 households.

PA