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A state government spokesperson has admitted that coronavirus testing results are often taking more than a week to come back.
"The widespread community involvement from our coronavirus testing blitz is helping us get a better understanding of how the virus is spreading in the community and providing a critical evidence base for our next steps as we slowly ease some restrictions," she said.
"Our coronavirus testing blitz has seen a massive increase in the number of tests being processed and our labs are working round the clock to process all these tests, but with so many coming in every day, it is taking a little longer to confirm the results.
"In most cases it takes around three to five business days from the time of the test to confirmation of the result, but there may be times where the result takes a little longer.
"We want to thank the community for their support and their patience - we are working as quickly as we can to get timely and accurate results back to those people who came forward for testing."
The spokeswoman said the state's coronavirus testing regime was among the highest per capita in the world - with more than 393,000 Victorians tested to date.
She said the government was aiming to test a further 150,000 people by the end of May and testing will continue throughout the year.
Fifteen laboratories, including three public health reference laboratories, nine public hospitals laboratories and three private providers, are testing.
"Anyone who has been waiting more than five days for their result is encouraged to contact the clinic or hospital where they were tested or to call the 24-hour COVID-19 hotline on 1800 675 398 if they were tested at a mobile clinic," she said.
Earlier: A Western Victorian MP has called on quicker COVID-19 test results after reporting people are waiting for more than a week.
Member for Western Victoria Beverley McArthur called on state Health Minister Jenny Mikakos and Premier Daniel Andrews to fix the failing Covid-testing system, which is seeing people in regional Victoria wait excessive periods for their results.
Mrs McArthur said in any system there would be occasional lapses.
"But I've now heard from a considerable number of people who have been waiting a week and sometimes much longer for their results," she said.
"This points to a system which is over-stretched and the problem seems to be worst in rural and regional areas."
Mrs McArthur noted the case of a Colac woman who waited 14 days, a Western Victoria farm worker who waited 13 days and a health worker in Geelong who believes her nine day-wait could have been much longer had she not repeatedly chased up the bodies involved.
The examples were backed by reports in Melbourne this week that test results were taking a week to come back.
"The tests are practically pointless when the results take so long to process," Mrs McArthur said.
"It completely undermines the infection-control aim of prompt contact tracing and it is having a disastrous impact on businesses too.
"People who have had the test and not yet gained a result are required to stay in isolation and the effect on small rural businesses can be catastrophic.
"For sole-traders or the smallest employers, it's simply not possible to function when one or more staff members cannot work
"The figures show us that only 0.4% of those tested are positive, so the vast majority of these employees would be back at work as soon as their result was returned.
The Mp said that economic damage was purely self-inflicted and could be avoided if there was a quick functioning testing system.
"And that's what I'm demanding for regional Victoria," she said.
Mrs McArthur went on to question the motive and effectiveness of Victoria's current testing strategy.
"It would be far better to have fewer tests, returned more promptly," she said.
"Testing higher numbers gives big numbers for the premier to boast about, but the reality on the ground is that it's causing real problems.
"Testing beyond the system's capacity just to bump up the numbers is deeply irresponsible.
"Daniel Andrews called for a testing blitz, but the system he put in place for it was clearly not fit for purpose."
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