Pabna Correspondent: Dhaka, July-16,

A man complained of a date-expired liquid tube being used for collecting his sample for a Covid-19 test at Pabna Sadar Upazila Health Complex (UHC) yesterday. It has led to the revelation that some 19 samples were collected like this.

For the sake of accurate and reliable results, their samples will have to be collected again.

The man, who wished to remain anonymous, noticed the tube used to collect his sample had an expiry date of June 2021 an expiry date on its body. When he inquired about it the responsible officer told him to file an official complaint.

Pabna Civil Surgeon Monitor Chowdhury said as the officer-in-charge of the health complex was ill, someone else is collecting the samples for Covid-19 testing now.

The substitute used the 19 expired liquid tubes for sample collection. These were immediately replaced after the matter came to attention.

“As expired tubes may give wrong results, samples of some people will have to be taken again,” he added.

Pabna’s Deputy Commissioner Russel Hossain said, “We have taken immediate action in this regard, and samples were taken with unexpired tubes after that.”