Coronavirus swab results delayed as strained system battles outbreak in western NSW

Delays in testing are affecting efforts to fight Covid-19 in the NSW west amid fears it may have reached regional Victoria and South Australia.

Felicia Hunter, left, Marissa Bates and Christine Hunter gather food relief parcels in Wilcannia, western NSW. Picture: Chris Pavlich

Major delays in testing have significantly hampered efforts to stop the spread of Covid-19 in the NSW west, with officials now concerned it may have reached regional Victoria and South Australia.

Confidential situation reports, written by federal health officials and obtained by The Australian, note some testing swabs were being sent to Sydney’s Westmead Hospital to help with the volume.

“This may result in delayed ­notifications by 24-48 hours and show artificial lull in numbers,” the document from Saturday reads.

“NSW Health are strained across the state and are conducting in excess of 150,000 tests a day, and exploiting private pathology to cover shortfall.”

Separately, Covid-19 test samples from Wilcannia had not been taken to the medical hub of ­Broken Hill for analysis for several days because the ­contractor hired by NSW Health “didn’t work weekends”.

“We don’t know if we now have 23 cases or if we have 53 or f..king 63,” a source familiar with the matter said on Sunday.

According to the source, samples taken from Friday afternoon and over the weekend have not been analysed because the contractor failed to transport them 197km west to Broken Hill. The problem was not discovered until a meeting on Sunday.

A family brings in emergency food parcels in Wilcannia, western NSW, over the weekend. Picture: Chris Pavlich

“To say that we are ropeable is a bit of an understatement,” the source said. “The police said they’d drive the samples, the council said they’d drive the samples and Health said ‘no, don’t worry we’ll get a contractor’.”

There were 74 new cases reported in the state’s west at the weekend – 36 on Sunday – and another 16 recorded in the NSW far west.

Health officials are also privately concerned the virus may have spread to Victoria and South Australia. The spread has partially occurred because of a gathering at a funeral in Wilcannia, and staff at the Aboriginal health service in Mildura have been “notified of likely attendees”.

“Potential cross-border concern with SA due to Sorry Business being held,” the memo reads.

The federal Health Department document also notes a case has been reported in a large mine site outside Cobar – between Wilcannia and Dubbo – and that there are “significant close contacts that are all in isolation”.

The Australian Defence Force is due to arrive on Monday in ­Wilcannia, a community where people are considered old if they reach the age of 50. They are ­expected to help volunteers who have been distributing food packages to residents who cannot leave their homes because they ­either know they have Covid-19 or they are waiting for test results.

“How am I meant to fight it?” said Fenella Wightman. “I only got one f..kin lung. Emphysema.”

She and her partner, Lawrence Payne, had travelled from their home near Mildura to attend the funeral, but decided not to attend at the last moment.

They are now stuck, staying with relatives. In the house next door, every person has Covid-19.

In response to questions, NSW Health told The Australian that the department was “working with private providers and increasing local public testing”.

Volunteers from The Wilcannia Food Support Group. Picture: Chris Pavlich

“In western NSW, there are additional challenges presented by the significant distances ­between some remote testing sites and laboratories to process the results,” a spokesman said.

“NSW Health is currently working to implement rapid testing capacity throughout western NSW, including (but not limited to) areas such as Walgett, Brewarrina and Broken Hill.

“This will enable much quicker turnaround of test results for people in these areas of concern and boost the public health response.

“Some pathology work was temporarily diverted to Westmead, to minimise delays to the notification process, after members of the pathology team at Dubbo Health Service were ­required to isolate after being identified as close contacts of a person with Covid-19.

“The pathology service has now returned to full capacity.”  The federal health document also reveals a doctor who worked at the Whiddon Aged Care centre outside Bathurst has also tested positive to the virus. NSW Health said as of Sunday night no cases had been reported among the residents of the home.

Assistance NSW Police commissioner Jeff McKenzie on Sunday said residents in the state’s west were employing people from Sydney to do work in their homes and their businesses – potentially spreading the virus further.

Lawrence Payne, wife Fenella and six-week-old puppy Trixy outside their house in Wilcannia. Picture: Chris Pavlich

He said his officers continued to encounter people who were “telling lies, being dishonest and infecting our communities”.

“If you are hiring people, if you’re engaging people to do work from Sydney, you really need to have a think about it – have a plan and make sure they are following the rules?” he said.

“We’ve got families infected, we’ve got young children infected in a lot of our isolated locations, which is proving a real challenge around providing assistance to those folks obviously we are doing the best we can.”

By Saturday an additional 9480 Pfizer doses had reached western NSW GPs and clinics, ­including 2880 for Aboriginal medical services. Another 11,640 doses were due to be distributed by Monday.

The Royal Flying Doctor Service has also helped vaccinate 8256 people in western NSW between August 14 and Friday, health bureaucrats said.