Lexi Webster
As of April 2020, more than 260,000 coronavirus tests had been carried out across Australia, with over 180,000 people tested by March of that year. This equates to a rate of around 10,000 tests per day, or more than 1% of the population, which was said to be a world-leading rate at the time. Australia's COVID-19 death toll had reached 24, with the majority of deaths in New South Wales. By March 2025, the number of people in hospital with COVID-19 had decreased, with a 7-day average of 49, and 374 PCR-confirmed cases.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of people tested for coronavirus in Australia | 268,554 |
| Percentage of the population tested | More than 1% |
| Number of people tested per day | 10,000 |
| Total number of confirmed cases | More than 5,100 |
| National death toll | 24 |
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What You'll Learn
Testing criteria and eligibility
In general, individuals must be experiencing symptoms consistent with COVID-19, such as fever, a dry cough, fatigue, shortness of breath, a sore throat, or a headache, and meet other specific criteria to be eligible for testing. In some states, individuals with no symptoms but who have travelled to hotspots or have been in close contact with a confirmed case may also be eligible for testing.
For instance, in New South Wales (NSW), people with acute cold or flu-like symptoms who have returned from overseas, been in contact with someone from overseas, or been in contact with a positive case of COVID-19 are eligible for testing. Additionally, those living in identified hotspots, such as Waverley, Woollahra, and Manly, can be tested if they have symptoms like a fever, runny nose, or cough. NSW also includes specific criteria for testing people who identify as Aboriginal in rural and remote communities, aged care or healthcare workers, and those referred by a GP.
In the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), random testing is conducted at Weston Creek, and a drive-through testing clinic is available at Epic (Exhibition Park in Canberra) for anyone with coronavirus symptoms. People with symptoms who have travelled overseas or interstate in the past 14 days, been in contact with a confirmed case, or are health or aged care workers are also eligible for testing in the ACT.
Other states like Queensland, Western Australia, and South Australia have expanded their testing criteria to include people living in Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander communities, those with a fever and signs of respiratory infection, and individuals who have been at the airport in the past 14 days, respectively.
It is important to note that testing criteria and eligibility may change over time, and individuals should refer to the latest official guidelines and seek medical advice if they are experiencing symptoms or have concerns about their eligibility for testing. Precautions should be taken when visiting a COVID-19 clinic, including wearing a mask, maintaining physical distance from others, and practising good respiratory hygiene.
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Testing kits and methods
The arrival of the new testing kits expanded the criteria for who could get tested. Previously, testing was advised for individuals who had recently travelled from abroad or been in close contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case, along with exhibiting respiratory symptoms. With the increased availability of testing kits, states and territories were given the discretion to expand their testing criteria.
In addition to the finger-prick tests, Australia also approved the use of rapid antigen self-tests (RATs) for home use starting November 2021. These tests detect the spike protein during an active infection, with a clinical sensitivity of at least 80% and a clinical specificity of at least 98%. Nucleic acid amplification (NAA) self-tests were also approved for home use, detecting the genetic material of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
The approval and adoption of various testing kits and methods have been instrumental in Australia's efforts to combat the spread of COVID-19 and manage the impact of the pandemic.
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Number of tests carried out
As of April 2020, more than 260,000 coronavirus tests had been carried out across Australia, with over 180,000 people tested by the end of March 2020. This equates to a testing rate of over 10,000 per day and more than 1% of the population, which was among the world's highest testing rates per capita at the time.
The high testing rate was attributed to the Australian government's efforts in securing testing resources and their application nationwide. Health Minister Greg Hunt highlighted the importance of testing, especially for healthcare workers, and the country's early adoption of "finger-prick" or "point-of-care" testing kits.
By April 2020, Australia had expanded its testing criteria, allowing states and territories to determine their own testing requirements based on their capacity. This expansion in testing eligibility contributed to the increasing number of tests conducted.
While the data presented provides insights into the testing efforts during the early stages of the pandemic, it is important to note that the Coronavirus Tracker stopped updating in April 2024 due to the majority of countries ceasing to report data. Additionally, the reported numbers may be underestimates as some jurisdictions have stopped collecting self-administered RAT results since 2023.
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Positive test rates
As of April 2020, more than 260,000 coronavirus tests had been carried out across Australia, with over 1% of the population being tested. This equates to a rate of around 10,000 tests per day, which was said to be among the world's highest rates of testing per capita.
By April 2020, Australia had expanded its testing criteria, allowing states and territories to set their own criteria where they had the capacity to do so. At that time, to be eligible for a test, an individual had to meet one of the following criteria:
- Having returned from overseas in the past 14 days or having spent time on a cruise ship, and developing a respiratory illness, with or without a fever.
- Having been in close contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case in the past 14 days and developing a respiratory illness, with or without a fever.
- Having severe community-acquired pneumonia with no clear cause, including patients who have already been hospitalised for this condition.
- Having a fever or acute respiratory infection and working in healthcare, aged care, or residential care sectors, or having spent time in a location defined by a state or territory as having an elevated risk of community transmission. This includes places such as aged-care homes, remote Aboriginal communities, correctional facilities, boarding schools, or military bases with live-in accommodations.
In late April 2020, Australia was set to receive 1.5 million "finger-prick" or "point-of-care" testing kits, which would be particularly useful for healthcare workers concerned about potential exposure to the virus. These kits provided rapid results but were most effective for patients who had been infected for 5-7 days.
By March 2025, the focus had shifted to PCR tests, with 10,887 completed in the week ending March 18, 2025. Of these tests, 3.5% returned a positive SARS-CoV-2 result, a slight decrease from 3.8% the previous week. While the data presented may underestimate COVID-19 activity due to changes in testing requirements and reporting, it indicates a decrease in COVID-19 notifications and a stable average of ICU patients.
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Comparison to global testing rates
As of April 13, 2024, Worldometer is no longer updating its Coronavirus Tracker due to the majority of countries ceasing to report data. However, historical data is still available.
Worldometer provided the most accurate and timely global statistics during the pandemic, when this was extremely challenging. The data includes the number of people tested for COVID-19 in Australia and other countries.
As of December 22, 2022, Austria had performed the most COVID-19 tests per million population among the countries most severely impacted by the pandemic.
The positive rate, or the share of tests that return positive, is a good metric for understanding how adequately countries are testing. It indicates the level of testing relative to the size of the outbreak. For example, countries with more widespread outbreaks need to conduct more tests to properly monitor and control the spread of the virus.
In Australia, as of March 18, 2025, there were 10,887 PCR tests completed, with 3.5% returning a positive SARS-CoV-2 result. This is a decrease from 3.8% the previous week.
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Frequently asked questions
As of April 2020, over 260,000 coronavirus tests have been carried out in Australia, with more than 1% of the population being tested.
The best early-detection test involves putting a long swab down the back of a person's throat. Australia also received 1.5 million "finger-prick" testing kits in 2020.
As of March 2020, Australia's testing rate was around 10,000 tests per day.
Australia is said to have one of the world's highest rates of testing per capita.
As of March 2020, the criteria for testing have been expanded, and they may continue to change. To be tested, one must meet at least one of the following criteria:
- You have returned from overseas in the past 14 days or spent time on a cruise ship and develop a respiratory illness, with or without a fever.
- You have been in close contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case in the past 14 days and develop a respiratory illness, with or without a fever.
- You have severe community-acquired pneumonia with no clear cause.
- You have a fever or acute respiratory infection and work in healthcare, aged care, or residential care sectors.
- You have spent time in a location defined by a state or territory as having an elevated risk of community transmission.
