To date 74,000 Tasmanians have been tested for coronavirus.
Hi-tech lab equipment has been brought in to speed up coronavirus testing in Tasmania.
Coronavirus
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NEW coronavirus testing equipment at the Royal Hobart Hospital will allow laboratory staff to process more than 1000 tests a day.
The hospital has been processing thousands of tests per week, however an Alinity-m automated molecular diagnostics analyser and a MagNa Pure 96 robotic workstation will allow processing to increase.
Health Minister Sarah Courtney said a high testing rate was important to detect and monitor any coronavirus in the community.
“The new equipment and an expansion at the Royal Hobart Hospital Molecular Laboratory will significantly boost our COVID-19 testing capacity. This means the laboratory now has more space for our incredible staff and the capacity to regularly process more than 1000 COVID-19 tests every day,” Ms Courtney said.
“Rapid identification and response to emerging clusters and outbreaks will help to minimise any transmission in the event of an outbreak. Tasmanians can be comforted that we have new capacity in our labs and testing clinics to respond to testing demand.”
To date 74,000 Tasmanians have been tested for coronavirus.
Tasmania has no active cases of coronavirus and there has been only one case of coronavirus detected in the state in more than 90 days.
Last month a woman in hotel quarantine who had travelled from Victoria was found to have the virus.
She was treated in hospital and recovered.
Anyone with symptoms such as a sniffle, fever, cough, sore or scratchy throat or shortness of breath is encouraged to be tested for coronavirus.
Tasmanians can arrange an appointment by contacting the Public Health Hotline on 1800 671 738 or by contacting their GP.
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