Australia, like other countries around the world, faces challenges in being able to carry out corona virus testing while authorities say the increasing demand for testing is under pressure in line with corona virus spread.
Faster testing will allow more patients to get a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19, potentially helping slow the spread of the virus that caused the outbreak.
Australian authorities are worried about running out of the supply of coronavirus testers in the country in the near future. But now Australia can breathe easier because there is a new rapid testing tool that will soon arrive in Australia.
Roche test kit for SARS-2-CoV-2 which causes COVID-19 disease Source: ROCHE
Recently the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a rapid test tool for the corona virus developed by Roche pharmaceutical company from the US.
This testing tool COBAS SARS-COV-2, only takes 3 and a half hours to get the results, 10 times faster than the testing time required at this time.
Within a few days the FDA also gave emergency permission to another California-based medical company Cepheid for its rapid testing.
This test can detect new corona viruses within 45 minutes, and can be processed by providers without training using Cepheid's specialized machine, GeneXpert processing units.
The two new test kits have also been approved by Australia's Therapeutics Goods Administration (TGA).
It seems like Australia will use fast testing equipment from the Roche company.
Roche said the new testing tool was expected to begin arriving in Australia on Wednesday 25 March. That would reduce fears of a shortage of virus testers in Australia.
Together with older testing that has been used, known as MagNA Pure 96, it will inject 100,000 new test equipment into an Australian laboratory.
All test sites in Australia have been enlarged as part of the corona virus scattering prevention measure.
Starting Tuesday 17 March afternoon, only people who have recently traveled from abroad or have been in contact with a positive case of COVID-19 and have symptoms within 14 days are advised to be tested.
If you believe that you might have contracted the virus, contact your doctor, do not visit, or call the Corona Virus Health Information National Hotline at 1800 020 080.
If you have difficulty breathing or experience a medical emergency, call 000.
