Nearly 4,000 Amazon workers were given incorrect coronavirus test results after a system error.
Private test results shared with NHS Test and Trace led to 3,853 notifications being wrongly issued on 13 February, the government confirmed.
Employees were told by the firm the day before they were negative for the virus, then given the exact opposite message by contact tracers.
Amazon said it has been testing frontline UK workers privately since October and sending the results to Public Health England, who then share them with NHS Test and Trace and equivalent bodies in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The company said it had followed NHS instructions and all workers had been made aware of the error and supported to take “appropriate action steps”.
The Department for Health and Social care said all employees wrongly issued self-isolation notifications were “rapidly” informed they did not need to.
The Department of Health and Social care said the “vast majority” of people reported no issues with the testing and contact tracing process.
A spokesman said: “Working closely with Amazon, NHS Test and Trace rapidly notified affected employees to let them know they did not need to isolate.”
An Amazon spokesman said: “We’ve communicated with our associates and partners to support them with the appropriate action steps, as instructed by the NHS.”
Editor-in-Chief | Carl D. Pearson has been involved in British politics and media from an early age, with the key knowledge of what it takes to run a news organisation for the 21st century. Mr Pearson, as Editor-in-chief, is responsible for supervising the daily tasks of publishing media and content to UNN’s website and various platforms.
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