The British Government has mistakenly informed some 1,300 individuals that they tested for coronavirus disease due to a laboratory error at the government’s NHS Test and Trace system, the Department of Health and Social Care.

“NHS Test and Trace has contacted 1,311 individuals who were incorrectly told that the result of COVID-19 tests, taken between Nov. 19 and Nov. 23, were positive. An issue with a batch of testing chemicals meant their test results were void,” a department spokesman said in an emailed statement in a report in Reuters.

“Swift action was taken to notify those affected and they have been asked to take another test, and to continue to self-isolate if they have symptoms,” the statement said.

The laboratory said in the statement that the errors was an isolated incident and an investigation was already launched.

The UK government said that it will be allotting 7 billion pounds ($9.31 billion) for its COVID-19 testing and contact tracing system as part of an expanded program of mass testing.

So far the United Kingdom has over 1.6 million coronavirus cases and close to 60,000 COVID-19 related deaths.

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