SOS goes out to virus testing kit makers in bid to boost supplies

The federal government has urged labs and medical suppliers to detail their ability to boost coronavirus testing supplies.

The federal government wants to gauge ability of companies to ramp up production of the critical medical supplies. Picture: AAP

The federal government has urged labs and medical manufacturers to detail their ability to boost supplies for the nation’s coronavirus testing capabilities, launching a mapping exercise to build a picture of Australia’s manufacturing capacity as state governments push to the next phase of COVID-19 response.

The Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources launched the push late last week, asking companies with the ability to produce critical consumable supplies for testing kits, including primers, probes, ­enzymes, and ­essential chemical inputs, to give details of their ability to ramp up production of the critical supplies as the country looks to expand its testing regimen.

Testing for the virus was initially limited to those people who had recently returned from travel, or who had come into contact with a confirmed case of the virus.

But the national cabinet eased initial restrictions — imposed partly over fears of a shortage of testing materials — in late March, and states have begun to expand their own testing regimens in line with new guidelines.

South Australia has had one of the most aggressive testing programs since the outbreak began gathering pace, and has now conducted more than 30,000 tests.

NSW, Australia’s worst-affected state, began testing so-called hotspot areas for community transmission on April 5, in an effort to track the source of mystery infections, and on Thursday WA expanded its testing regimen to include anyone with a fever of 38ºC or higher — or who had one in recent days — or signs of an acute respiratory infection.

Data compiled by the University of Oxford’s Our World in Data project shows Australia currently is testing about 13 in every 1000 people. That is below the testing rate in Italy and Germany, according to the data, but above that in many other jurisdiction, including South Korea.

Expansion of the testing regimen to judge the extent of the spread of the virus through the community has been seen as one of the keys to judging whether social-distancing controls could be relaxed in coming months, and whether the move to economic and social normality can begin.

But as with other critical medical supplies — such as ventilators, surgical face masks, and medical sanitiser — the virus crisis has put a renewed spotlight on Australia’s manufacturing capability and reliance on imported goods for testing. According to DISER’s request for information, published on the federal government’s AusTender website late last week, the department is seeking information not just on domestic manufacturing capability and potential expansion of existing manufacturing, but wants to know how reliant companies’ supply chains are on imported materials.

“Are your inputs sourced domestically or from overseas? Can your existing suppliers continue to support existing supply and expanded production as required, or would you need to seek additional suppliers?” the survey asks.