Post by EZWarren on Mar 23, 2020 10:40:18 GMT 10
Australia must be judicious in how it uses almost 100,000 new coronavirus test kits which have arrived in recent days, the prime minister says.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison insists Australia has enough coronavirus test kits for now.
The assurance comes after Health Minister Greg Hunt secured the arrival of 97,000 extra kits in recent days.
So far more than 115,000 Australians have been tested for COVID-19 and only 0.7 per cent returned a positive result.
Mr Morrison says the extra kits have addressed "immediate supply requirements", but has stressed the need to use them carefully.
"We have got the lowest test positivity in the world, I am advised, at 0.7 per cent," he told reporters on Sunday.
"So we need to be judicious in the way that we use these testing kits."
The prime minister couldn't give a specific timeframe for how long Australia's test kit needs will be met.
"It is a function of demand, and those demands can vary," he said.
The Doherty Institute in Melbourne is looking at options for sourcing COVID-19 test kits domestically and the potential of using other tests which aren't replacements but "can be helpful", Mr Morrison added.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison insists Australia has enough coronavirus test kits for now.
The assurance comes after Health Minister Greg Hunt secured the arrival of 97,000 extra kits in recent days.
So far more than 115,000 Australians have been tested for COVID-19 and only 0.7 per cent returned a positive result.
Mr Morrison says the extra kits have addressed "immediate supply requirements", but has stressed the need to use them carefully.
"We have got the lowest test positivity in the world, I am advised, at 0.7 per cent," he told reporters on Sunday.
"So we need to be judicious in the way that we use these testing kits."
The prime minister couldn't give a specific timeframe for how long Australia's test kit needs will be met.
"It is a function of demand, and those demands can vary," he said.
The Doherty Institute in Melbourne is looking at options for sourcing COVID-19 test kits domestically and the potential of using other tests which aren't replacements but "can be helpful", Mr Morrison added.
