CDC Officials Cite Label Error, Delay in Testing in Mixup Involving Coronavirus Patient Release

EVA Air employees are seen at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) wearing masks, to prevent the coronavirus infection, COVID-19 in Los Angeles, California on Feb. 12, 2020. Daniel Slim/AFP via Getty Images

Federal officials said a labeling error and a delay in testing caused the mixup that involved a coronavirus patient who was mistakenly released from a hospital back to quarantine.

A female evacuee from Wuhan who landed in California recently was hospitalized with symptoms of the new virus, COVID-19, along with several other patients. She and the other patients were released from UC San Diego Medical Center on Sunday.