Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Janice Fitzgerald says there have been cases when someone has initially tested negative for COVID-19 before testing positive.
Dr. Fitzgerald says it may have been too early in the course of the disease to actually pick up enough of the virus to result in a positive test.
That’s why, with a high degree of clinical suspicion, they would re-test.
She says that’s also why it’s so important to ensure that when they are doing testing; they’re doing it at a time they feel they will get the most reliable results.
Dr. Fitzgerald says that’s why they have recommended testing people with symptoms only.