Goulburn pathology lab copes with rise in coronavirus testing

Industry Dance Co has decided to postpone its trip to the US in April after Disney opted to close its Anaheim park this week.

The dance company, comprising Goulburn and Tahmoor students, was due to perform at Disney World on April 7, but the organisation announced this week that its parks in Anaheim, Orlando and Paris in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

Although due to re-open on April 1, Industry Dance Co director Siobhan Dennehy said there was a "high risk" they would not. This left the group with just one other scheduled performance at Universal Studios in the week-long trip.

"One performance is not viable for us and there's a big chance Universal will close too," she said.

Dance Around the World, the company with which they were contracted to tour, has offered postponement option, with conditions. The trip can be credited to dates in July, September or November, but if a family can't make it, a 100 per cent cancellation fee applies.

"We are hoping to go in September ... but I'm concerned that if some can't go then, we won't meet the (dancer) quotas," Ms Dennehy said.

Industry Dance Co is closely reviewing the contract.

"We're all pretty distraught ... Disney was the main reason we were going," Ms Dennehy said.

"It's nobody's fault, but unfortunately we've copped the brunt of it."

Friday 6pm

Goulburn's medical fraternity is fielding more community requests for COVID-19 coronavirus testing, but say they're mostly turning out to be colds or flus.

However, the impact of the virus, declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation this week, is having wider impacts on everyday life and travel plans.

A Goulburn dance group is waiting to hear if their performance itinerary can be rescheduled or money refunded, following Disney World's closure in the US due to the disease.

Goulburn Capital Pathology has confirmed it received about 50 to 60 tests for COVID-19 from residents, as well as people in Crookwell, Gunning and Braidwood in the past week.

Regional manager Mark Cummins said about 30 of those were on Friday and the waiting time for results was 72 hours for urgent cases and four days for non-urgent ones.

"We are trying to deal with it the best we can, but the system is overwhelmed. We have a full-time staff member on this and the phones haven't stopped ringing," he said.

The Post understands Laverty Pathology in Goulburn isn't testing for COVID-19 and has contacted its parent company Healius in Sydney for comment.

Goulburn Capital Pathology has set up an isolated room for screening to ensure they don't come into contact with normal blood tests, Mr Cummins said.

Most of the people being tested had returned from overseas or were symptomatic. "There is a lot of hysteria and a lot of misinformation about who should be tested and who shouldn't," he said.

"What we know is that the elderly are at risk and people with an underlying illness, just like the flu season. We are not finding that a lot of children are infected; or they are asymptomatic, meaning they have a bit of a runny nose, but it's not debilitating."

Goulburn Capital Pathology will only accept tests sent by medical practices and will not accept walk-ins or routine screening tests from people who are non-symptomatic.

Marima Medical Clinic practice manager Kim Weeks said only two people had been tested in the past week and both had returned negative. One of these was performed in the car park at the patient's request as he was concerned about potential infection.

However, the clinic, like others in town, does have an isolation room and has implemented all procedures recommended by NSW Health.

Testing initially involved two nasal swabs and a blood test but has been relaxed to remove the latter. Staff ask initial questions before anyone with COVID-19 fears presents at the clinic.

'We've had a lot of phone calls and enquiries, but most have been regarding cold-type symptoms," Mrs Weeks said.

Meantime, Goulburn Medical Clinic principal general practitioner Dr Rod McConnell said four people who had returned from overseas with respiratory symptoms and fevers had been tested for the virus. The clinic was awaiting results.

He confirmed that only one local private lab was testing, while Goulburn Base Hospital was sending swabs to Sydney.

"We haven't had huge numbers asking to be tested, but people at risk are those that have returned from overseas with respiratory symptoms or fever," he said.

"Anyone who has been in contact with coronavirus needs to be tested. We are not aware of any confirmed cases in Goulburn."

NSW Health has not returned comment on whether there were any confirmed cases in the city.

The Post understands some local school students have undergone testing, with results pending. The NSW Education Department would not confirm this, citing privacy reasons.

Goulburn Health Hub practice manager Sophie Ashton said very few patients with coronavirus-like symptoms had been tested.

"(That's because) we're screening according to the guidelines and the patients hadn't been overseas," she said.

"...We've used the isolation room three times and those tests have come back negative. Seven people were concerned about their symptoms, but only three had a swab."

Ms Ashton said there weren't enough face masks, but many people had their own because of the recent fires.

"One of the positive impacts of [the] coronavirus is that there are likely to be fewer flu cases this year because people are concerned about spreading germs and their hygiene," she told the Post.

Meantime, Industry Dance Co's plans to perform at Disneyworld in Anaheim, USA on April 8 have been dealt a blow. Disney announced this week that it would close three of its resorts, including one in Anaheim, California, due to Coronavirus fears.

The Dance Co was due to leave on April 7 to perform a jazz and contemporary routine at Disneyworld with another company. They were also scheduled to participate in the Disney parade.

Director Siobhan Dennehy said the trip, which also included a performance at Universal Studios, had been planned for two years.

The students, from Tahmoor and Goulburn, aged seven to 17, had been practising for 18 months for the Disney Parade. Sixteen families, comprising 50 travellers had also forked out $4500 to $5000 for the week-long trip.

Ms Dennehy said the trip could still go ahead, but parents who wanted to pull out due to the cancellation or coronavirus fears risked losing money. The dance company is trying to reschedule a performance to supplement the one at Universal Studios.

"I'm a bit distraught because we've been planning this for years. I'm trying to keep a cool head and work out other options," she said.

Elsewhere, Quest Goulburn has decided to postpone its launch event as a precautionary move due to the coronavirus pandemic. The event was due to be held on Monday, March 16, with company executives and Hume MP Angus Taylor participating.

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