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Jersey now has the highest testing level in Europe, but one of the lowest positivity rates.
Jersey’s testing rate hit 9,400 per 100,000 population last week.
According to data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the jurisdiction with the closest testing rate in the same period was Luxembourg, which conducted 5,340 tests per 100,000 people.
At 0.1%, Jersey was also found to have one of the lowest covid test positivity rates in Europe.
Finland, which has a testing rate of 1,267, came next, with a positivity rate of 0.2%.
Pictured: Comparisons between Jersey and other jurisdictions. (GoJ)
“As part of our response to the pandemic we have implemented one of the most robust arrivals and non-travel testing programmes in Europe. The results can now be seen in the comparison of statistics from the ECDC, which show that Jersey is top of the testing league table,” Dr Ivan Muscat (pictured top), who has been leading Jersey’s pandemic response, commented.
“Countries with a low testing rate and high positivity rate are often concentrating on testing clusters.
"We are testing almost everyone at our borders and we undertake repeat testing of health care workers and other individuals, in addition to the ongoing testing of those seeking healthcare.”
Pictured: The new rapid test processing lab at the Jersey Aero Club.
He added that “the number of people seeking healthcare due to covid-like symptoms remains very low”, and that the majority of cases being picked up were individuals that are symptom-free.
“…In essence we are actively going out searching for virus in asymptomatic individuals at the border and elsewhere to prevent spread, over and above the continued testing of those with possible covid symptoms,” Dr Muscat explained.
The news comes after a ‘flatpack’ rapid test processing lab was this week set up at the Jersey Aero Club.
Pictured: Chief Minister Senator John Le Fondré inside the new lab.
The new facility, which will initially be in place for three months, is expected to be able to process up to 2,000 tests within around 12 hours.
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