South-west COVID-19 free as region's cases labelled inactive

It comes as the region faces a significant delay in the return of results from asymptomatic COVID-19 tests.

South West Healthcare chief executive Craig Fraser said the priority for returned test results was symptomatic screenings, which are currently taking between 26-72 hours to be returned.

"Our RAC nurses are working through notifying those with negative asymptomatic results and as always, anyone with a positive result will be notified as soon as the test is run," he said.

"As you'd appreciate, with increased testing it's reasonable that tests are taking longer to return and our pathology partners across the state are doing the best they can."

This week SWH completed 17 symptomatic inpatient screenings at the Warrnambool Base and Camperdown hospitals and 161 symptomatic screenings at the Warrnambool respiratory assessment clinic.

As of today, a SWH patient is able to have one visitor per day for one hour between 3 to 6pm.

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Portland District Health chief executive Chris Giles said the expected time frame for asymptomatic test results had blown out by as much as a week.

"Unfortunately due to the government testing blitz bringing in excessive numbers of swabs requiring pathology testing, this has caused delays in results being reported Victoria-wide," she said.

"All negative results will receive a SMS message and any positive results will receive a phone call."

For the following week until May 26 all Victorian school staff will be prioritised for voluntary coronavirus testing.

Western District Health Service chief executive Rohan Fitzgerald said school staff who did not have symptoms could attend the drive-thru clinic at the Hamilton Base Hospital.

"You do not need to self-isolate while you wait for your results and can go to work or go about your usual activities," he said.

"School staff with symptoms of COVID-19 can also attend the drive-thru clinic. You must self-isolate until you receive a negative result.

"Other members of the community may also present for testing at the drive-thru clinic if they are experiencing symptoms, even if mild, have had contact with a known case, or have returned from overseas travel."

139 people and 15 school staff were tested at the drive-thru clinic this week.

Portland District Health have opened another symptomatic clinic dedicated to school staff from May 18 to 20 at the hospital's Healing Garden.

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The total number of coronavirus cases in Victoria is 1543, a net increase of 20 since yesterday. To date, 18 people have died.

There have been 154 community transmitted cases in the state - a decrease of 10. Victoria has had four days without any growth in community transmission despite a significant increase in testing.

Currently nine people are in hospital, including seven patients in intensive care. 1407 people have recovered.

Of the total 1543 cases, there have been 1277 in metropolitan Melbourne and 227 in regional Victoria. Several cases remain under investigation. The total number of cases is made up of 818 men and 723 women.

More than 309,000 tests have been processed to date.

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