A leading testing company in the United Kingdom has been accused of dumping thousands of returned Covid tests in the bin while issuing fit-to-fly certificates to customers.
In a viral footage by The Sun, RT Diagnostics were seen to be: “dumping thousands of returned Covid tests in the bin”.
RT Diagnostics was set up in April 2021 to provide Covid testing to people who are leaving or entering the country.
It has advertised the government-approved test kits for up to £79.
According to the clip, the firm weren’t testing the samples but was still issuing negative test results to customers.
The video showed boxes of ‘live’ tests that were not being tested, but the firm was ‘telling everybody they’re negative.’
It was claimed that the tests were then put into black plastic bags and dumped behind the offices.
In reaction, however, the company said that the accusations were completely untrue, and an Environment Team from the council had inspected the site.
A spokesperson for the company said: “We 100 per cent refute the completely ludicrous and defamatory accusations made in a fake spoof video by former employees.
“Anyone watching the video will realise that it is a bunch of young lads larking about and being giggly and frankly stupid.
“We are shocked that a national newspaper without doing any due diligence or even showing the video to us has run with such a deeply damaging story.
“We are currently in touch with our lawyers to see what can be done but we have been told that any legal action against the newspaper could cost over £2 million.
“In the newspaper, they falsely claim that black bin bags full of clinical waste which should have been tested is instead thrown away.
“Thankfully, the Council’s environmental team had already inspected the black bin bags and actually also witnessed a giant skip arriving to dispose of the packaging waste.
“Importantly, the environmental team also inspected the lab and so the story is a complete sham.
“We have been investigating the circumstances that led to the fake spoof video and all three young lads involved have contacted us and shown deep contrition for their ‘having a laugh’ video.
“Having seen the gravity of the situation and the trouble they have caused, they are in shock that a silly giggly joke video has managed to be taken seriously, if only by The Sun.”
The United Kingdom is still grappling with the pandemic and reported more new cases on Wednesday than any other country in the world except for the United States.
The UK has been at or near the top of the global league for new infections for several days now following a steep rise in cases as a third wave sweeps the nation.
The 44,104 fresh cases detected over the past 24 hours is greater than that witnessed by almost all countries currently battling the biggest outbreaks of cases, including Indonesia, India, Brazil, Russia and Spain, analysis shows.
It comes as debate continues to rage over Boris Johnson’s decision to relax almost all coronavirus restrictions on so-called ‘Freedom Day’ on July 19.
