Coronavirus: Concerns growing over Victoria’s low early testing rates

MP Katie Allen at pop-up corona testing clinic in Prahran, Melbourne, on Wednesday. Picture: David Crosling

Victoria reported just 885 coronavirus tests over a 24-hour period last week, escalating concerns that the national pandemic numbers were understated as the virus gathered momentum.

Amid growing questions about the state’s testing rates at the start of the crisis, The Australian can reveal that on March 26 at 8.44am the Victorian government report­ed it had tested 26,905 people in total.

On March 27, this number had grown to just 27,790 tests, an increase of only 885 tests and well below industry expectations.

At the same time, testing numbers were exploding in NSW.

Victoria also was trailing significantly behind it and Queensland in the testing effort.

Latest statistics show NSW has conducted nearly 100,000 tests, Queensland more than 50,000 and Victoria more than 47,000.

This is despite Victoria, with 968 confirmed cases, having significantly more positive results compared with Queensland, which has 743 cases.

Under national testing guidelines, the more people presenting with symptoms of the virus, the more testing is undertaken.

This explains why test numbers in NSW have been far higher than any other state.

Yet Victoria has been lagging behind Queensland for weeks, despite having a bigger population and a larger share of international tourism, from where most of the infections have emanated.

When The Australian first raised questions about Victoria’s testing rates, the government took down its website, which carried a daily tally of testing and also confirmed cases. The website was not put back online until Tuesday, where it showed a sharp increase in testing in Victoria.

Victorian Health Minister Jenny Mikakos said yesterday there may have been an issue with a time lag between when testing was taken by private laboratories and when it was recorded.

“There is some time lag, particularly from the private pathology laboratories to absorb that in our reporting,’’ she said. She said that from Wednesday, a third private Melbourne pathology company had come on board, enabling more tests to be processed.

One of the challenges facing governments has been a lack of testing kits, which is a worldwide issue given the spread of the virus.

Opposition health spokeswoman Georgie Crozier said serious questions needed to be asked about how prepared the government was for the crisis.

“For some time I have been concerned about the government’s preparedness,’’ she said. “The figures remain concerning.’’

On March 17, Ms Mikakos was questioned in the Victorian parliament about the number of swabs and testing kits that were available in Victoria but she refused to say.

At that stage, there were only 94 cases in Victoria. Ms Mikakos said the scope of the pandemic in ­places such as Italy had made it harder to source testing kits and other materials.

Victoria, like other states, is attempting to manufacture more equipment to fight the virus.

Ms Mikakos said on Thursday that on a per capita basis, Victoria’s testing rates were among the best in the world. She said the government had put in a large order for gloves, masks and gowns.