South Australia’s strong coronavirus testing regime puts state ahead of the curve
South Australia’s COVID-19 testing is world-leading in how much of our population is being checked – the percentage is twice the Australian average and 20 times more than in the US.
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South Australia’s world-leading coronavirus-testing regime is flattening the state’s growth rate of new cases to the lowest in the nation, as authorities investigate SA’s first possible community transmission.
Expert evidence shows how SA is giving itself an early fighting chance in a long battle to halt the disease’s spread, amid widespread overseas lockdowns and economies in freefall.
But as SA Health yesterday recorded the biggest surge in daily cases yet, with 36, and the border officially shut, officials were investigating if a regional woman, aged in her 50s, was the state’s first community transmission patient and if there were more similar unidentified cases.
As the number of local cases hit 170, SA’s chief public health officer last night made public appeals for some country residents to quarantine and seek testing.
The Our World in Data project, powered by the University of Oxford, shows on a global scale the reach of SA’s testing is world leading, along with the United Arab Emirates.
Based on the most recent available data, which the university took from March 20, SA was testing 9543 out of every million people.
That is 10 times higher than the UK, and 20 times more than the US. It is also a testing rate twice as rigorous as the Australian average.
Separate analysis by Australia’s Grattan Institute, released to The Advertiser, shows SA is on a path where the number of confirmed cases doubles about every four days.
But as more than 18,000 tests are undertaken and 600 people are daily contacted by officials, SA Health yesterday told GPs that wait times had spiked from an average 24 hours to 36 hours.
A northern-suburbs drive-through clinic opened yesterday at the Hampstead Rehabilitation Centre.
The details emerged as Prime Minister Scott Morrison and state leaders last night met to consider the next phase of the lockdown, new relief measures for renters, and official advice for businesses on “workforce planning”.
While “‘stage two” measures may not necessarily come into effect immediately, Australians hosting house parties to avoid tough indoor gathering bans were warned to stop.
Premier Steven Marshall told The Advertiser that every effort was going toward “flattening the curve”, which would give hospitals time to gear up, allow SA to learn from other areas and save lives.
“From the outbreak of this disease, SA Health took action, we did everything we could to protect the people of SA,” he said. “This early effort is paying dividends.
“If we get this right, we will save lives. But we do need the help and assistance of every single South Australian.”
Health Minister Stephen Wade said the Government was looking to boost the number of highly skilled nurses and midwives by upskilling, fast-tracking recruitment, supporting students and allowing more staff flexibility.
— with Claire Bickers