In an Australian first, doctors and nurses can now test critically ill patients arriving at St Vincent's Hospital for coronavirus and receive results within an hour.

The rapid test means patients arriving at the emergency department with serious respiratory problems can be quickly assessed for COVID-19 and then sent to the right ward for treatment.

St Vincent’s Hospital registered nurse Damien Davis Frank holding one of the new rapid testing swabs for COVID-19. Credit:Kate Geraghty

Chief operating officer of research at the hospital, Associate Professor Philip Cunningham, said the test would be "enormously useful".

"At the moment, it's really for those acutely unwell coming in," he said. "When they need airway intervention immediately, to know whether they are positive or negative is essential for their management."