THE Spanish Government has revealed it actually returned more than 50,000 faulty coronavirus tests to China, rather than the 9,000 previously stated.
Ministry of Health officials had said that 9,000 out of 640,000 tests purchased from the Asian country ‘didn’t work’.
But now it is known that more than 50,000 of the tests, distributed to hospitals in Madrid do not work and have been sent back.
Spain’s Health Minister, Salvador Illa said the Government would not buy any more of the dodgy devices, made by Chinese firm Shenzhen Bioeasy.
He claimed that the 640,000 tests Spain has ordered from the firm would be replaced by a ‘different type’ and ‘higher quality’ test.
Meanwhile, the PP and Vox have demanded to see the finances relating to the purchase of tests.
The right ring parties allege there has been a Government cover-up by Pedro Sanchez’s left wing PSOE administration.
Finance Minister Maria Jesus Montero is among those being called by opposition politicians to give an explanation of the purchasing cock-up.
Some five million tests are now on their way to Spain, according to Illa, all of which will be ‘verified’ before they are rolled out to the 17 different autonomous communities.
“The tests are not valid, because they give many false negatives,” a Government source told El Mundo.
Public sector union CSIF said: “Public health personnel face the weekend with outrage, disbelief and exhaustion at the latest information on the acquisition of failed tests, the shortage of supplies and the overstretched health centers.
“Statements by political leaders at the national and regional level do not help our professionals and spread a general feeling of anger.”
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