Sherrod Harrison of Sanford North Carolina says he visited the Cumberland County Department of Public Health in June 2026. However, he was informed that he had tested positive for HIV, despite him not seeking HIV testing.
Harrison told CBS 17 that he questioned the results and contacted the health department, explaining that he did not believe they were his. According to Harrison, the department contacted him through his wife and informed him over the phone that he was positive. He says he was asked to return for another blood sample but decided to seek testing elsewhere.
Harrison says he went to FastMed in Sanford, North Carolina, for another testing. While waiting for those results, he purchased at-home HIV tests from Walmart, CVS, and Walgreens. He says the at-home tests, which included mouth swab and finger-prick tests, all came back negative. His FastMed results also came back negative on July 13, 2026, CBS 17 obtained proof of those results through Harrison.
Harrison says he has kept the receipts for the at-home tests and wants answers about how the reported testing error occurred.
Harrison notified the health department, who misdiagnosed him, of his negative results with him later receiving of his negative status as of July 14, 2026.
Acting Health Dept Director, Heather Skeens, told CBS 17 that the county is aware of the situation, but cannot discuss his information due to confidentiality. She added that the county is implementing “additional safeguards to support the accuracy and appropriate communication of test results.”
