RIVERLAND COVID-19 testing rates are rapidly rising as cases begin to reappear in Adelaide, and Victorians battle against a second wave of the virus.
More than 400 people were tested at SA Health COVID-19 testing clinics in the Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network between July 27 and August 2, as South Australia-Victoria border restrictions were tightened, and a mobile testing clinic for essential workers has been set-up at the Yamba quarantine station.
Drive-through testing at the Riverland General Hospital in Berri has also been moved from the hospital’s entrance to the corner of Hepworth and Cornwall streets to allow for increased COVID-19 testing capacity.
Private health clinics who are offering testing services have similarly reported a jump in testing numbers over recent weeks.
Loxton Health Centre nurse manager Lisa Victor said rising testing rates had coincided with the spread of COVID-19 in Victoria.
“Our numbers have probably doubled in the last week,” she said.
“Obviously people are scared about it coming over to South Australia, and we are getting a few truck drivers and workers who live here and travel across the border who all have to be tested every seven days.
“The information is out there that if you are showing any kind of symptoms then you should be getting tested now.
“Obviously, people with cough or cold symptoms, but there really is no category for what symptoms people need to have.
“Lethargy, aches and pains, diarrhea and vomiting, anything comes into it. It’s certainly broad and they’ve found people present with all kinds of symptoms now.”
Renmark Medical Clinic general practitioner Dr James McLeod also attributed increased testing rates over the past two weeks to “daily changes in the other states”.
“People who have a fever or chills, cough, sore throat, runny nose, shortness of breath, or loss of taste and smell – even if symptoms are very mild – should get tested,” Dr McLeod said.
Both clinics are currently offering tests to regular patients, after a triage over the phone, with the Loxton Health Centre running a drive-through testing clinic from Monday to Friday each week and the Renmark Medical Clinic referring patients to the clinic at the Renmark Paringa District Hospital.
Riverland health centres are also employing a range of protective measures to minimise the potential for community transmission.
“We’ve got signs up at the front asking anyone who has symptoms to not enter the building and ring ahead,” Ms Victor said.
“We have personal protection equipment (PPE) like masks and sanitiser gel available for patients.
“When we are running the clinic, we are in full PPE and the patients don’t enter the building.
“We do have those patients who need to see a GP, and we have an isolation room that they can be seen in and they are not in our waiting area at all.”
Dr McLeod said the Renmark Medical Clinic was offering phone consultations to patients to minimise the foot traffic in the clinic.
“We are watching the situation closely and, if the time arises, we will return back to phone consulting, patients needing to be seen face-to-face will be in our new consulting rooms, and temperature checks and triage will occur for each patient,” he said.
“IMVS pathology services are currently being discussed so that we can continue to offer this service in Renmark with precautions put in place.”
The Loxton Medical Centre, Renmark Paringa District Hospital, Riverland General Hospital and Waikerie Health Service are currently all administering COVID-19 tests.
Booking ahead is essential for all Riverland COVID-19 testing services, except the essential worker drive-through testing facility at the Yamba border checkpoint.
COVID-19 screening at the Barmera Health Service has ended, with patients being advised to visit the Riverland General Hospital instead.