DOZENS of Mount Gambier and district residents have been screened for COVID-19 amid a two-week testing blitz across the state.
While the number of confirmed Limestone Coast cases have stalled at seven, it is hoped the ramping up of testing across the region will detect any lingering cases.
The State Government has launched this rapid testing program ahead of any decision to ease restrictions, including the lifting of elective surgery suspensions.
In a positive trend, South Australia yesterday recorded no new cases for three consecutive days despite thousands of people being tested since Thursday.
Hawkins Medical Clinic partner Dr Scott Milan revealed the Mount Gambier-based centre referred nearly 50 patients for testing last week.
“These all have returned negative results to date,” Dr Milan said.
He called on residents to take advantage of the widening of the testing criteria.
“It has been pleasing to see the excellent response by Limestone Coast residents to implementing social isolation as per the SA Government recommendations,” Dr Milan said.
“Good adherence has resulted in no new cases of COVID-19 being identified in the region for several weeks.”
Until recently, he said only specific risk groups, mainly travellers and health care workers, were being tested for COVID-19.
“Now the number of active cases detected in SA has greatly reduced, the government has opened up the criteria for testing,” Dr Milan said.
“The purpose of this change in testing criteria is to survey the wider population for any previously undetected cases circulating within the community thus providing an insight with respect to the best time to ease restrictions.”
Ferrers Medical Clinic has also referred patients for COVID-19 testing.
“We have been referring quite a few more patients in these last few weeks for COVID-19 testing as the guidelines now are much broader to include any flu like symptoms regardless of travel or exposure,” practice manager Anne Bierwirth said.
She said the clinic was working with Mount Gambier Hospital to make the process seamless.
“Ferrers Medical Clinic during this time have continued to screen patients with the relevant travel and exposure questions and temp checks before entry to the practice,” Ms Bierwirth said.
“Some consults have been conducted with tele-health and we are conducting our flu vaccine clinics from our flu tent in our car park.”
“COVID-19 has seen us think outside the square to deliver the safest options for our patients.”
Ms Bierwirth encouraged their patients to adhere to social distance restrictions and limit trips to food shopping, medical appointments and to the chemist.
The testing blitz will end on Thursday, April 30.
Meanwhile, the SA Pathology has launched a new digital COVID-19 testing process.
Health Minister Stephen Wade said the service would streamline the process of delivering negative test results, enabling patients the ability to access them from a secure online platform anywhere at any time.
“As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a surge in calls to SA Pathology from patients needing their COVID-19 test results, which has caused some delays,” Mr Wade said.
“Almost 99pc of South Australians have returned negative tests. It is important that patients get early peace of mind and are able to stop self-isolating.”
SA Pathology executive director of clinical services Dr Tom Dodd said the digital service was an efficient and safe way for patients to receive their negative test results.
“We are performing in excess of 7000 tests per week and on average, 98.7pc are negative results,” Dr Dodd said.
The service will initially be available at all metropolitan testing clinics and eight regional clinics, with plans to expand the roll out across the state in coming weeks.
