MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. — Montgomery County residents who were tested with AdvaGenix kits at two of the county’s coronavirus testing sites over the past two weeks may need to be retested, county officials said Thursday.
The news came following reports Wednesday night that the Maryland Department of Health had identified unspecified issues with lab protocols at the Rockville-based molecular diagnostics laboratory.
On Thursday, Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich and County Health Office Dr. Travis Gayles said the county’s COVID-19 testing program that was being processed through AdvaGenix had been “suspended immediately following a thorough review of the AdvaGenix testing and lab process.”
The AdvaGenix kits were primarily used at the Wheaton Library and Community Recreation Center testing sites. County officials have asked residents tested at either site over the past two weeks to get retested at another location. Elrich also said during a press conference Thursday morning that the county was looking for backup kits to resume testing at the affected sites.
According to Montgomery County, more than 19,000 AdvaGenix tests have been used over the past two months – about 8% of all people tested in the county over that period.
The county signed a contract with AdvaGenix in May to use the company’s self-administered oral swab coronavirus tests. The tests promised results in 48 hours or less. At the time, Elrich called the contract a “game changer” for the county.
According to the county’s statement Thursday, AdvaGenix tests had primarily been used on asymptomatic subjects.
The county’s statement did not specify what specific issues had been identified with AdvaGenix’s lab or testing processes. WUSA9 reached out to the Maryland Department of Health for more information. This story will be updated if and when that becomes available.