Problem at Roche warehouse raises fears over UK COVID tests

LONDON (AP) — Swiss pharmaceutical firm Roche says problems at a U.K. warehouse are delaying shipments of testing products to clinics and hospitals. The news has triggered concerns that COVID-19 testing may be disrupted as infection rates rise around Britain. Roche informed doctors about the problem at its U.K. distribution center in Sussex, southern England, in a letter that advised customers to “prioritize essential services only.”  Roche said the problem arose after it moved to a new automatic warehouse in September. It says it is prioritizing the dispatch of COVID-19 tests, but the glitch could affects materials needed to conduct blood tests and screening for diseases including diabetes and cancer. Roche said it could take two weeks to fix the problem.