RIVERLANDERS will soon be able to access results to coronavirus tests in less than an hour, the State Government announced last week.
The Riverland General Hospital in Berri will be among 10 hospitals in regional South Australia to receive SA Pathology’s rapid testing capability, assisting clinicians with information to make rapid decisions about the treatment and care of patients with COVID-19.
Member for Chaffey Tim Whetstone said this was welcome news for the region.
“Diagnosis in under an hour is a huge step forward and will allow patients and their GPs to make fast decisions,” he said.
“It will alleviate the stress for many of having to wait for results and allow those awaiting results to leave self-isolation sooner.
“We have to plan for what is possibly ahead and our community deserves to have access to the same testing services as our city cousins.
“While we have seen the number of cases in South Australia reduce, we must be prepared for the fight against COVID-19 as we head into the cooler months.”
The announcement comes during a two-week “testing blitz” where those with an unexplained fever, cough, sore throat or shortness of breath are able to be tested for COVID-19.
The expansion of testing criteria has allowed South Australian public health clinicians to gain a greater understanding of the prevalence of the virus throughout the state and will help inform future decisions aimed at curbing its spread.
Premier Steven Marshall said the blitz would assist in both identifying the disease early and strengthening community-wide protection.
“South Australia’s world class testing regime has been critical in our success in bending the curve and pushing out the peak of COVID-19,” he said.
“The expansion of testing is the next step in our strong plan to protect South Australians from the disease.”
Minister for Health Stephen Wade said up until the start of the blitz, COVID-specific testing had focussed on those most at risk of contracting the disease.
“While the evidence suggests that there is not widespread community transmission, low case numbers in recent days means we have an opportunity and the capacity to test a broader section of the community,” Mr Wade said.
In another move to streamline the delivery of test results, SA Pathology launched a new digital service to inform those who have tested for the virus of a negative result via SMS.
SA Pathology’s executive director of clinical services Dr Tom Dodd said the digital service was an efficient and safe way for patients to receive their negative test results.
“We are performing in excess of 7000 tests per week, and on average, 98.7 per cent are negative results,” he said.
“The process of undergoing testing for COVID-19 and waiting for the results can be stressful, so it is hoped the portal will reduce delays and ease some of the anxiety for patients.”
The State Government has also begun testing wastewater at facilities around the state in an effort to locate and eliminate COVID-19 infection clusters in the community.
Mr Wade said the joint initiative by SA Water and SA Health is a non-invasive way of monitoring for COVID-19.
“Through monitoring sewage, we will build a better understanding of communities to which the virus has spread, while gaining the unique ability to detect the virus if it reoccurs in the future,” he said.
For more information on the SA Pathology COVID-19 Digital Health Service, visit www.sapathology.sa.gov.au.
For more information about the coronavirus and the State Government’s response, visit www.sahealth.sa.gov.au/covid-19.