Coronavirus Australia: New virus testing criteria announced

Testing for coronavirus will now be available to healthcare workers, aged care workers and people in geographically localised areas and “high risk” settings.

The Government has announced it will expand the testing criteria for coronavirus and suspend some elective surgeries in an effort to fight the pandemic.

In a statement following another meeting of national leaders on Wednesday night, the National Cabinet said healthcare workers, aged care workers, and people in geographically localised areas and “high risk” settings, will now be tested for the potentially deadly disease.

Authorities will also implement nationally consistent directions on self-quarantine for individuals who test positive to COVID-19.

RELATED: What stage 3 of lockdown could entail

RELATED: Follow the latest coronavirus updates

A health worker talks to visitors at a Covid-19 testing centre in Sydney on March 23, 2020. - With the imminent closure of pubs, restaurants, cafes and entertainment venues in Sydney, large queues formed outside Australian unemployment benefit offices as online services crashed as the prime minister warned the coronavirus pandemic would cause an economic crisis akin to the Great Depression. (Photo by PETER PARKS / AFP)

Following the second National Cabinet meeting this week, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said testing would be made available to more Australians, as efforts to “flatten the curve” of the coronavirus spread strengthen and stage 2 of lockdown kicks in.

As well as health and aged care workers, the statement said testing will “be expanded to include hospitalised patients with fever and acute respiratory symptoms of unknown cause, at the discretion of the treating clinician”.

It specified “high risk” settings include: aged and residential care, rural and remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, detention centres/correctional facilities, boarding schools and military bases with live-in accommodation.

Tests would be given where there are two or more plausibly-linked cases in the above settings.

Thuringowa MP Aaron Harper and Townsville Hospital and Health Service Chief Executive Kieran Keyes are shown a swab sample. A mobile, drive through Coronavirus testing clinic has been established at Kirwan Health Campus, Townsville. PICTURE: MATT TAYLOR.

National Cabinet also endorsed the recommendation for states and territories to suspend all non-urgent elective surgery, with the deadline for suspension 11.59pm on 1 April 2020.

“The changes will allow greater transition for the community to the new arrangements and ensure the national supply of essential PPE – such as masks, gowns, gloves and goggles for the healthcare workforce,” the statement read.

On Wednesday, there were 1029 in NSW, 466 in Victoria, 443 in Queensland, 170 in South Australia, 175 in Western Australia, 36 in Tasmania, 44 in the Australian Capital Territory and six in the Northern Territory.

Nine people have died — one in Western Australia, seven in NSW and one in Queensland.

In Victoria, two people are currently in intensive care – one in their 30s and one in their 60s.

As the global number of coronavirus infections approaches half a million, health officials say the epidemic is still in its early stages. 85 per cent of infections and deaths have been coming from Europe and the United States.

National Cabinet will meet again on Friday.