UPDATE, 5pm:
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
A spokesperson for the Wimmera Health Care Group says the Reading Street testing clinic administered 116 COVID-19 tests today, almost doubling daily figures from previous weeks.
On Tuesday, the clinic administered 59 tests, 72 on Monday and 50 on Sunday.
The spokesperson said it was a significant amount of tests and possibly the most delivered since 2020's drive-in testing.
EARLIER, 2pm:
HORSHAM'S Read Street COVID-19 testing clinic has been swamped with demand for tests following the listing of an exposure site in Nhill.
A Wimmera Health Care Group spokesperson said the clinic would be operating under extended hours, and more staff would be brought in to meet testing demand.
"We have had a huge spike in numbers are we have had to make some very fast arrangements to make sure we get everyone tested today," the spokesperson said.
The testing clinic, located at the Read Street Medical Clinic had a line of over 50 people around 11.30am on Wednesday, July 21.
READ MORE:
Some people in the line said they had waited an hour to get tested.
People were coming to get tested from Horsham, Nhill and Rainbow.
Three people said they had to get tested for work reasons.
A Nhill couple had just arrived back from a two week driving trip around South Australia.
They said they got their permit at Port Pirie in South Australia and believed they didn't need to get tested. It was only this morning they were told they did need to get a test done.
People in the line commented on how it had been twice as long and onto the street just an hour before.
A Wimmera Health Care Group spokesperson said they expect it to get that busy again.
MORE COVID NEWS: Nhill BP Road House an exposure site from NSW removalists
The increase in testing comes after The Nhill BP Road House on 7297 Western Highway was flagged as an exposure site and a primary close contact.
It is believed exposure is from the NSW removalists who were moving around the state last week.
Wimmera Health Care Group saw a spike in testing this week, with 72 bookings on Monday, and 59 on Tuesday.
West Wimmera Health Service chief executive Ritchie Dodds said the Rural Doctors testing clinic in Nhill had only received 15 test bookings on Tuesday and 10 bookings today.
"We think maybe a 15 in total again today and likely to fall away in coming days. There's no need at this stage for opening hours to change given the clinics are well able to cope with the increased demand. Obviously though that would change if demand for testing increased significantly," he said.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark www.mailtimes.com.au/
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/Wim_Mail_Times
- Follow us on Instagram www.instagram.com/wimmeramailtimes/