NSW Health Pathology's first breakthrough of the pandemic came via a team of experts at the Institute of Clinical Pathology and Medical Research Westmead, who rapidly established highly specialised COVID-19 testing capabilities on 22 January 2020.
Working in the state-of-the-art biosecurity P4 laboratory, elite researchers then successfully grew the live virus from NSW patients – a much-needed step in understanding and containing the deadly virus.
Knowing COVID-19 doesn’t discriminate by age, location or background, NSW Health Pathology then leveraged its extensive state-wide network and local clinical partnerships to expand access to reliable testing right across the state.
By mid-August 2020, NSW Health Pathology experts had conducted more than 1.2 million COVID-19 tests – an unprecedented effort that placed NSW among the highest testing rates per capita in the world and undoubtedly helped save lives.
