Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 June 2020
566. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Health the average current Covid-19 testing capacity available per day; and the current testing level in view of the fact that it is reported that approximately 10,000 additional tests could be carried out per day. [12635/20]
View answerA robust, real-time process of testing, isolation and contact tracing is central to our public health strategy for containing and slowing the spread of COVID-19, as advocated by WHO, EC and ECDC. Having such a robust process with sufficient capacity and quick turnaround is also one of a number of core criteria in determining when it is safe for countries to reduce restrictive public health measures.
There is now capacity in place to undertake 15,000 tests per day/100,000 tests per week. It is important to note that while this level of capacity is available on a continuing basis, this does not mean that this number of tests will be undertaken each day/week. While we are in a positive position of not needing this full capacity at present, it is critical that we have it available to us when it is needed. The testing and contact tracing operational and resource model has been designed to flex up and down as needed to match an increase in demand, it has been stressed tested at higher activity levels and is capable of responding quickly to changes in demand.
COVID-19 testing demand and activity levels are influenced by a range of factors including prevalence of the virus, testing strategy and case definition, and testing capacity, and there have been considerable fluctuations over the last three months. In more recent weeks, the level of demand has been relatively low in line with the current lower levels of prevalence of the virus. In the last week 18,984 tests were carried out, meaning an average of over 2,700 tests daily. This is likely to increase, however, from this week as a further programme of testing of staff in nursing homes commences.
Attached is a link to the new Covid-19 data hub: https://covid19ireland-geohive.hub.arcgis.com/ where up to date information on the number of tests completed can be found.
