• Carson Now on Facebook
  • Follow Carson Now on Twitter
  • Follow Carson Now by RSS
  • Follow Carson Now by Email

Error in Carson City COVID-19 test performance leaves local resident in limbo

After spending over a week in horrible pain, a local quad-county resident was finally able to secure a COVID-19 test. However, the situation became all that more complicated when the test was administered incorrectly by Carson City Health and Human Services (CCHHS).

CCHHS admitted to the error, and has rescheduled a second test to be performed today.

For Amy (name has been changed for medical privacy), the last week has been something akin to a nightmare.

“I’ve never wished for a positive flu test more than I did (that day),” said Amy.

Since news of COVID-19 began circulating, Amy began taking precautions. She tried to quarantine as much as possible, but because she is still considered an essential worker, she has been required to go into work.

During the last few weeks, she has been around co-workers and members of the public on a daily basis. However, besides that, she stayed inside with her child and avoided going to stores or out into public.

Even still, on Tuesday, March 31, she woke up with chest discomfort and a dry throat, but didn’t think much of it.

By the next day, however, she found herself in a considerable amount of pain.

“It hurt when I took a deep breath, talked for too long, laughed, coughed, and swallowed,” said Amy. “At this point I was a little concerned.”

By Thursday, every time she took a deep breath it felt like someone was punching her in the chest, she said. At 8 a.m. she took her temperature, which came back normal. By 10 a.m. it had risen to 101.1 degrees.

“I had zero appetite and I became very nauseous,” she said. “My back was in a lot of pain. I had a terrible headache.”

At this point she called Carson City Health and Human Services. They told her she needed to go get a flu and a strep test, but also made an appointment for her to come and get a COVID-19 test the following day.

She received negative tests for both flu and strep. Her nurse and doctor told her they were certain she had COVID-19, and needed to be tested for it as soon as possible.

That night, her fever rose considerably, and she was wracked with chills and body spasms for the rest of the night.

She arrived at Carson City Health and Human Services Friday morning at 9 a.m. to receive her test.

“Two women came out of the building and asked for my name and birthday,” said Amy. “They went back inside and came right back out with the swab.”

One woman, who was wearing a mask and gloves, performed the test, Amy said, while another woman, who did not have any PPE on, watched the first woman perform the test.

“She put the swab in both of my nostrils, and she did not penetrate my nasal cavity,” said Amy. “I remember thinking that was better than the flu test was the day before.”

She was told her test would return within 1-4 days, and she returned home. While Facetiming with a friend, who works as a nurse at Carson Tahoe Hospital and had been performing tests, she learned the test had been performed incorrectly.

“When I told her how they had tested me, she said it was going to come back negative because they performed the test wrong,” said Amy. “That’s when I learned that the swab is supposed to go as far back in the naval cavity as possible.”

It is supposed to four inches back into the nasal cavity, to be precise. But according to Amy, the swab went just inside her nostrils.

On Saturday, Amy received a call from CCHHS stating her test was negative.

“I didn’t argue, I just took it for what it was,” said Amy. “That night I seemed to have regressed and my chest hurt badly again. My fever spiked to 103 and my headache returned.”

On Sunday, Amy woke feeling far worse. She woke with raspy breathing, a very dry throat, and a dry cough.

“Every time I cough it hurts my lungs, throat, and head,” said Amy. “I was fighting a fever all day long with chills and hot sweats again.”

She then called CCHHS and asked if they would test her again because she was getting significantly worse. She was told if she was getting worse, she should go to the E.R.

“I informed them they did the test wrong the first time, and the person I spoke to became very offensive.”

According to Amy, the person she spoke to said it was a “lofty accusation” and asked her how many tests she had performed, and whether or not she was a nurse.

“I can understand her frustration,” said Amy. “Everyone is on high alert and has a short fuse. I can’t get any medication without a positive test because I’ve tested negative for everything else, flu, strep, it’s not bronchitis, it’s not pneumonia, and it’s definitely not a cold. I just feel like this puts people at risk because they’re not testing correctly.”

Amy contacted the E.R., who said she would have to meet all their criteria to be tested.

“I feel like I was lucky to get tested once as it is,” said Amy. “I don’t want a $1,000 bill for them to not test me.”

However, on Monday, Amy received a call from CCHHS and said they would retest her on Tuesday.

Public Information Officer Jessica Rapp confirmed a test was performed incorrectly on Friday after speaking to CCHHS Tuesday morning.

“There was one instance of a swab being pulled back so it did not go in as far as it should have for an accurate test,” said Rapp. “That individual was contacted yesterday and rescheduled for an additional test.”

As far as Health knows, said Rapp, this is the only occurrence of a test not being performed correctly.

There are now new swabs that have been sent over which no longer need to be inserted as far into the nasal cavity for an accurate reading, said Rapp.

If you were tested for COVID-19 at CCHHS and you believe the test may have been administered incorrectly and received a negative result, please contact CCHHS.

Top Stories

... or see all stories

The call for country and Olympic team unity has Stephen Curry lacing up his basketball shoes for Paris and setting his golf clubs aside this July, foregoing his title defense at the American Century Championship, the celebrity golf tournament at Lake Tahoe.

A 36-year-old Yerington resident died, one person was injured and three escaped from a house fire Monday night in Yerington, according to the Lyon County Sheriff's Office.

Looking for a place to take your little ones this week? Look no further! Here is a list of family-friendly (and fun!) activities and events happening this week around Carson City.

A gang fight at an apartment complex last month resulted in the arrest of 14 juveniles and adults, according to the Carson City Sheriff's Office.

Carson City Sheriff's Office Uniformed Reserves and Partnership Carson City collected approximately 410 pounds of prescription drugs in the Prescription Drug Take Back held last month in Carson City.

Mark Twain Days Festival returns this Friday through Sunday, May 10-12, with a bevy of events lined up for the second year of the festival, which is held in honor of Mark Twain, our region’s most famous writer.

Meet others from the community for conversation and real connection.

CONNECTIONS social gatherings bring locals together every week for story sharing, conversation and inspiration.

Join us every Tuesday for Café CONNECTIONS at Comma Coffee, 312 S Carson Street, Carson City.

Check out the free Senior Health Fair from 8 am to 12 noon this Thursday, May 9 at Casino Fandango Grand Ballroom in Carson City.

More than 70 vendors, a record number, will share valuable information about their programs and services. Participate in raffle drawings, interact with service dogs, donate blood, and have quick access to important vaccines. Pick up our fifth edition of the Senior Celebration magazine and a Community Resource Guide.

Partnership Carson City has launched “Rediscovering Your Mental Health Series,” a five-week program aimed at promoting mental wellness during Mental Health Awareness Month this May. Each week, participants will have the opportunity to learn new skills and techniques to enhance their mental well-being and foster a healthy community.

The Battle Born Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution is a women's volunteer service organization, promoting Patriotism, Education, and Historic Preservation.

Photo courtesy of David and Gayle Woodruff

Carson City Historical Society hosts local authors and historians David and Gayle Woodruff, who will present a Chautauqua on "Snowshoe Thompson: Superhero of the Sierra" from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 11 in the Carriage House behind the Foreman-Roberts Historic House located at 1207 Carson Street, Carson City, during Mark Twain Days.

Join us at the Territorial Enterprise Mark Twain Museum located at 53 South C Street for an event filled with fun and excitement for the three days of "Mark Twain Days" in Virginia City, Nevada.

On the morning of Saturday, May 11, volunteers will fan out across the Truckee River watershed to collect and test water samples from creeks, streams, smaller lakes, and Lake Tahoe itself to take a “snapshot” of water quality at a single moment in time for this important source of drinking water and outdoor recreation.

The Douglas County Board of County Commissioners will hold a special meeting May 20 that will include the final adoption of the County Budget Fiscal Year 2024-25.

A 44-year-old man was arrested Saturday for suspicion of unlawful occupancy of real property and violation of a suspended sentence, according to a Carson City Sheriff's Office booking report. The man was occupying the home of a deceased person without permission.

The Nevada Artists Association Art Gallery in Carson City presents the "Just the Right Size" show with 130 entries by 31 local Nevada artists.

UPDATE 3:11 PM: The fire in the 1400 block of Monte Rosa Drive was contained to the garage and was knocked down quickly, according to CCFD Battalion Chief Jon Pedrini. The fire did not extend to the main structure. No one was home and there were no injuries. The cause is under investigation.
***
UPDATE 12:37PM: Carson City firefighters knocked down the fire and are beginning to clear the scene.
***
Carson City Fire Department and sheriff's deputies were called late Monday morning to a structure fire in the 1400 block of Monte Rosa Drive.

For years, advocates have called upon presidential administrations to reclassify marijuana or deschedule it entirely from the DEA’s list of controlled substances.

UPDATE: The roadways have reopened.
***
Firefighters in Yerington and the Lyon County Sheriff's Office are on scene Monday morning of a semi truck rollover on Aiazzi Lane and Miller Road in Yerington. The entire area is closed to all traffic.

It's time again for the biggest one-day food drive in the country, the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive happening Saturday, May 11. This event is vital for helping food banks to provide food during the summer months.

Polka Dot Powerhouse, Carson City Chapter, invites you to be a guest at our May monthly business luncheon. Come meet Carson City's most dynamic, positive, action forward women to connect for business and friendship. Join us for collaboration, celebration, and fun! Special raffle prizes for all guests.

We’re back, bigger and better than ever! Please welcome the second annual Mark Twain Days, May 10-12. For a listing of events take a gander at the website here.

You will find something of interest or my name’s not Mark Twain, or used to be anyways. And this year Virginia City is joining in on the fun along with Carson City. Wow!

Nevada Division of Forestry state nursery is open for business beginning Thursday, May 9. When we first bought our home in 1988 with its 2.5 acres, there were some poplars, pines, blue spruce, willows, and grass, but little else. I soon discovered the state nursery and filled the yard with flowering shrubs and other plants. I added lilacs, sand cherries, golden and Nevada currants, sumacs, Apache plumes, and incense cedars.

The Lyon County Sheriff's Office arrested a Dayton man Saturday for possession of child pornography. During the investigation, officers also learned the man was a local little league coach.

Mrs. Carson City America, Kassandra Tapia, is set to grace the stage of the Mrs. Nevada America Pageant, scheduled to take place on June 9, 2024, in Las Vegas. She is proudly representing the Capital City, and she aims to not only showcase her poise and grace but also advocate for her powerful platform, Cycle Breakers.

Nevada Author, Sandie La Nae will be selling her Carson City and Virginia City books the three days of the Mark Twain Days, May 10, 11, and 12.

As part of Smokey Bear’s 80th birthday celebration, the Smokey Reading Challenge is underway. Launched this morning at the Nevada State Library, Archives and Public Records in Carson City, the program is designed to engage children across Nevada in an exciting reading journey to learn about wildfire prevention, forests, and careers in natural resources with Smokey Bear.

The Nevada Jeep Club held their first Washoe Valley Cleanup on Saturday, May 4 and collected more than 450 pounds of trash along Highway 395.

The Carson City Leisure Hour Club members continue celebrating the organization’s 127th year with a presentation on the upcoming Jazz and Beyond festival.

At the club’s dinner meeting on Thursday, May 16, Cherie Shipley, a member of the event planning committee, will talk about the annual Jazz and Beyond festival, how it formed, and the impact it has had on the community. Jazz and Beyond is scheduled for August 16 to August 25, 2024.

Here is the Carson City area road report for the week of May 6-12, 2024. Closures are expected at the following locations due to road and utility work: