COVID-19 testing rates in Orange have skyrocketed as a result of the latest virus outbreak, which premier Gladys Berejiklian labelled 'perhaps the scariest period' the state has faced since the pandemic began.
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Massive queues formed at Orange's drive-through clinics as more locally-acquired cases and exposure sites were confirmed state-wide, with specific areas of Sydney all but locked down on Friday morning.
The latest outbreak comes after a scare in the Central West after two people who tested positive visited the region while reportedly infectious, between June 1 and 5.
This month, up to 8pm on Thursday evening, more than 2,000 people had reported for testing at one of Orange's five sites, marking a significant increase of almost 20 per cent compared to the four weeks prior.
On Thursday individual testing sites across the city were inundated, with Douglass Hanly Moir's drive-through clinic at Wade Park alone facing queues that spilled out onto Moulder Street, from the moment they opened.
"The queues were long at Wade Park and testing numbers have increased because of what's happening in Sydney," Douglass Hanly Moir regional manager Michael Flynn said.
Stay-at-home orders were issued, to be in place for at least seven days, in four local government areas across Sydney on Friday, while fragments of the virus were detected in sewage as far north as Bourke earlier in the week.
Considering the situation, Mr Flynn said the vigilance being shown by Orange residents is a positive.
"People definitely seem to be more conscious of it and that is a good thing," he said, with that clinic open 8am-noon on weekdays and no bookings required.
The queues at the Wade Park site appeared to be exacerbated by the temporary closure of Laverty Pathology's drive-through clinic on Thursday, although it re-opened on Friday as usual.
The latter's temporary shut down was forced as the weather impacted capabilities at its Bloomfield Medical Group carpark site, where it moved to from the Orange Showground a number of weeks ago.
The clinic returned to the covered, Showground site on Friday amid more inclement weather, with Laverty Pathology's regional hub list reporting it will stay there until at least next Thursday.
Laverty Pathology's drive-through site is open from 8am-4pm on weekdays and 8am-noon on Saturdays with no bookings required.
Orange Hospital's testing site is open from 12-4pm on Saturday and Sunday with no bookings required.
The Orange Respiratory Clinic, at Bloomfield Medical Group, is open for testing from 8am-4pm on weekdays and 8am-noon on Saturdays, online bookings are required.
Douglass Hanly Moir's site at the Bluestone Hall Collection Centre on Anson Street is also open from 8am-5pm on weekdays and 8am-12pm on Saturdays, bookings are required on 1800 026 622 or 9111 3405.
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Matt Findlay
Formerly a sports specialist, I'm based at Orange and shift between wide-spread range of subjects here and, often, across the entire Central West region of NSW as well. I have almost a decade of experience in the media and marketing industries both here in Australia and internationally, along with journalism I have experience in content strategy, brand development, and digital and social media. Along the way, I've been fortunate to win a handful of media awards and be nominated for several others too.
Formerly a sports specialist, I'm based at Orange and shift between wide-spread range of subjects here and, often, across the entire Central West region of NSW as well. I have almost a decade of experience in the media and marketing industries both here in Australia and internationally, along with journalism I have experience in content strategy, brand development, and digital and social media. Along the way, I've been fortunate to win a handful of media awards and be nominated for several others too.
