When you turn up the cycles of a PCR test, you can make it detect positive of anything. And they did test for around 35-40 cycles, which is ridicilous.
"As genetic material is amplified (with real time PCR) fluorescence is produced; how this happens exactly varies by PCR method, but basically involves those substances added to the test releasing fluorescent particles or becoming more fluorescent.
Eventually the fluorescence is strong enough to be detected. The number of thermal cycles required to reach this point is known as the cycle threshold.
The fewer cycles required before that fluorescence is observed, the greater the concentration of viral genetic material in the original sample, roughly speaking. Conversely, the more cycles that are required, the smaller the concentration of viral material on the original sample. "
