Partnership between state and federal governments and pathology company to ramp up Tasmania’s testing capabilities

Tasmania’s Health Minister has announced a partnership between the state and federal governments and pathology company Sonic Healthcare to ramp up the state’s testing capabilities.

TASMANIA will soon have the capacity to triple the number of coronavirus tests being conducted in the community, the State Government says.

Health Minister Sarah Courtney on Saturday announced a partnership between the state and federal governments and pathology company Sonic Healthcare to ramp up the state’s testing capabilities.

Health Minister Sarah Courtney. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

“This unique partnership will seek to more than triple our testing capacity in coming weeks,” Ms Courtney said.

“This will be subject to demand and we will work with our public health professionals to make sure this is best targeted. This might be around symptoms, it might be around hot spots in our community.”

Labor leader Rebecca White said the increased capacity should be used to test all North West Regional Hospital staff and patients in quarantine, regardless of whether they were showing symptoms.

Tasmanian Labor leader Rebecca White. Picture: CHRIS KIDD

She also urged the Government to conduct “random sampling” in the community.

“We know that a significant proportion of all positive cases in Australia have been asymptomatic,” Ms White said.

“Increasing our testing regime to include random sampling in the community will give us a better picture of the true impact of the outbreak in the North-West of the state, and more broadly.”

Mobile units will be sent to the West Coast and far North-West early this week to conduct testing.

Ms Courtney said the exact locations and timing of the mobile clinics would depend on clinical advice and demand from communities.

Residents of those regions could also be tested for coronavirus by their GP, she said.

“We have been engaging with GPs across the North-West and the West Coast, so if you have concerns about your symptoms please call the Public Health Hotline or your GP, your GP will be able to test you if you have concerns,” Ms Courtney said.

The Health Minister also gave her heartfelt thanks to the many staff and volunteers working on the COVID-19 front line.

She said Royal Hobart Hospital staff worked through Friday night to process the almost 500 tests of aged care workers and patients from the North-West.