Echuca Regional Health COVID-19 tests sent to Queensland for processing

Aug 16, 2020

COVID-19 testing swabs from Echuca Regional Health are being sent to Queensland for processing to speed up the waiting time for results.

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Echuca Regional Health chief executive Nick Bush said they’re seeing a quicker turnaround time of 4-5 days which had previously blown out to 5-6 days through Melbourne labs.

“Swabs were being sent to Queensland only during the week which was an arrangement by DHHS (the Department of Health and Human Services) as a trial . . . as Melbourne labs were being inundated with tests due to the current Victorian situation,” he said.

“Queensland labs were not as busy so processing of specimens was quicker and the government was offering assistance to Victoria.”

Tests are flown up to the northern state and results are sent by email back to ERH.

“ERH are responsible for notifying patients swabbed through our screening clinic, DHHS only get involved if there is a positive case,” Mr Bush said.

So far in August, ERH has performed 477 COVID-19 tests.

Mr Bush said testing numbers at ERH were relatively stable and it was still averaging 49 tests a day.

“We’ve only had four positive tests out of 5200 since March 12 so the testing level appears to be satisfactory,” he said.

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