Only nine of the 1,358 tests for Covid-19 included in figures from the Public Health Agency (PHA) this week came from the Western Health and Social Caret Trust area, with the PHA citing “reporting issues” as the reason for the non-inclusion of tests analysed by the Western Trust.

However the Western Trust has said in a statement to the Impartial Reporter that since last Friday "344 Covid-19 test results were reported". The Trust would not comment on what the “reporting issues” cited by the PHA were. 

It is understood that the nine tests from the Western Trust area that were included in figures were analysed in a different trust area.

So what is the real state of play here in relation to total tests and the number of positive tests?

While confusion is rife surrounding the reporting of tests it means that there is no way of the public knowing how many positive tests that have been confirmed in the Fermanagh and Omagh District area, nor indeed the number of deaths that may have occured linked to Covid-19. 

It had been thought that in the Fermanagh and Omagh area, and indeed across the Western Trust that there had been levelling off of positive tests, however it now appears likely that there is a significantly higher number of positive tests than the 43 which have been reported today by the PHA.

The Impartial Reporter can reveal that Covid-19 tests began to be analysed by the Western Trust in its cell pathology laboratory at Altnaglevin Hospital last Friday, April 3.

Before that testing of specimens collected in the Western Trust area was carried out in Regional Virology Laboratory (RVL) Belfast for all of Northern Ireland.

The PHA explained in its most recent surveillance report, issued today, Thursday, that “laboratory testing data from the WHSCT (testing started 03/04/2020) is not currently included due to reporting issues”. That same report revealed that testing carried out in both the Northern Health and Social Care Trust and the Southern Health and Social Care Trust is included in the results.

This newspaper asked the Western Trust for an explanation surrounding what the “reporting issues” were, however a spokeswoman would not be drawn on this question. In a statement the spokeswoman said: “Laboratory testing for Covid-19  commenced in the Western Trust (Cell Pathology laboratory, Altnagelvin Hospital] on Friday 3 April 2020. Prior to this samples had been analysed in the Regional Virology Laboratory in  Belfast.  Between Friday 3 April and Wed 8 April 2020, 344 Covid-19 test results were reported by the Western Trust.”