Northern Grampians records fourth coronavirus case, Wimmera's 10th

IN HORSHAM, the COVID-19 clinic is maintaining a regular level of testing numbers.

Wimmera Health Care Group clinical improvement, risk and innovation director Sally Taylor said the clinic was no longer testing anybody without symptoms, after a recent blitz.

She said 119 potentially asymptomatic Wimmera school staff were tested as part of the blitz.

"We are seeing smaller numbers of symptomatic people presenting for testing - this does fluctuate a bit on a day by day basis (3-14) since the school staff blitz ceased," she said.

"It remains important that anybody with symptoms continues to present for testing."

1.40pm

STAWELL Regional Health has confirmed the coronavirus case is not being treated at its hospital.

Earlier

THERE is a new active coronavirus case in the Northern Grampians - the first in the shire for almost two months.

The municipality recorded its first positive results on March 25, second on March 27 and the third on March 28.

The newest case, announced on Tuesday, brings the total cases to four.

The new case is the only active one across the Wimmera, and the 10^th overall across the region. Elsewhere, Horsham has had three cases; and West Wimmera, Ararat and Yarriambiack, one each.

The total number of COVID-19 cases in Victoria is 1610 - an increase of five since Monday.

There have been no new deaths reported. To date, 19 people have died from coronavirus in the state.

Previously:

There have been 182 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Victoria that may have been acquired through community transmission.

Eight people are in hospital, including three patients in intensive care. 1533 people have recovered.

Several cases remain under investigation. The total number of cases is made up of 850 men and 760 women.

More than 437,000 tests have been processed to date.

Of the new cases, three cases were detected in returned travellers in hotel quarantine and one case was detected through community testing unrelated to any known outbreak.

A case was also detected in a resident at the HammondCare aged care facility in Caulfield. The diagnosis brings the total number of cases at that facility to two.

"Today's increase in cases illustrates once again that while we have been flattening the curve, our battle against COVID-19 is far from over," Victoria's chief health officer Brett Sutton said.

"Restrictions around some activities have now been eased in Victoria in recognition of the current low rate of community transmission of this virus.

"While encouraging, we need to remain vigilant. It is increasingly important that we stay at home when unwell and get tested, wash our hands regularly, sneeze and cough into our elbow and maintain physical distancing.

"These are common sense actions to ensure we don't create a second wave of this serious disease, as we have seen in other countries once they have eased their stringent regulations.

"Victorians have done a remarkable job so far sticking to the coronavirus restrictions and staying at home has saved lives. But now is not the time for complacency.

"We are also asking Victorians to continue this amazing effort and get tested if they have symptoms of coronavirus, however mild, because the more tests we do, the more data we have about the prevalence of coronavirus in the community.

"People with even the mildest of symptoms of coronavirus including fever, chills, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, runny nose or loss of sense of smell are encouraged to get tested."

More to come

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