WITH school holidays about to start, residents in country NSW will be better protected from potential coronavirus outbreaks thanks to "game changing" new technology.
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Dubbo, Wagga Wagga and Bega have been selected as one of three hubs in regional NSW to analyse COVID-19 tests without requiring them to be sent to Sydney.
A NSW Health Pathology spokeswoman said these hubs provide vital faster-testing capabilities to help curb the spread of the virus.
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Each hub will complete lab analysis for their local regions.
The pathology spokeswoman said having the BD Max testing machine on site at these hubs was a "game changer".
"It means faster turnaround times for non-urgent COVID-19 testing," she said.
"Fast, accurate testing enables early diagnosis and management of COVID-19 cases, which is vital for the protection of the community and to curb the spread of the virus."
Health authorities continue to worry about outbreaks of coronavirus with Victorian children already on school holidays and NSW kids to break from Friday.
Overnight another 77 Victorians tested positive to the virus, while five previous cases were reclassified as not being positive. There are now 415 active cases across that state.
Of the new cases, 13 are linked to outbreaks, 37 detected through routine testing and 27 are under investigation. None are in hotel quarantine.
In NSW, eight people tested positive to COVID-19 during the past 24 hours, all of them are returning travellers in hotel quarantine.
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"As restrictions ease gradually, it is crucial to come forward for testing, even if you only have minor symptoms," she said.
"Common symptoms include cough, sore or scratch throat, shortness of breath or fever."