UPDATE: NHS Highland changes way it transports coronavirus specimen bags – but reiterates 'no risk' posed by samples lost on A9 while being taken from Caithness to Inverness
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NHS Highland has insisted coronavirus test samples found lying besides the A9 posed no risk to the public – but has changed the way it will transport them in future.
The health board revealed the specimen bag – which was spotted by a member of the public close to the Dornoch junction on Monday night – was being transported by an NHS Highland vehicle from Caithness General Hospital in Wick to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness.
A probe into how it could have happened to ensure this will not happen again was launched earlier this week.
An NHS Highland spokeswoman said: "The investigation is still ongoing and we are able to confirm that the samples were being transported by an NHS Highland motor vehicle travelling from Wick to Inverness. With immediate effect, all specimen bags are to be carried in cages within the main cargo area of the vehicles in our transport fleet to avoid a similar incident happening again.
"We would like to reassure members of the public that at no point was there a risk to the public from these samples. They were packed properly and remained intact. They are now with the laboratory team at Raigmore.
"All staff involved with this investigation are being supported as we learn from the incident.
"We would also like to thank the team from Highlands and Islands Blood Bikes who helped us during this incident."
