NHILL is the first location at which coronavirus surveillance testing of poultry processors and other essential industries will begin.
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At a regional press conference on Thursday, Department of Health and Human Services testing lead Jeroen Weimar said testing would begin in the Wimmera town that same day.
"We are now organising proactive surveillance testing of around a quarter of their workforces every single week," he said
"Next week, we will be in Ararat and Stawell, and we have a number of operators across regional Victoria in those critical supply industries.
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"The reason we are doing surveillance testing in those industries is to make sure we have a good understanding of whether the virus in any shape or form is circulating in these industries.
"Recent history tells us that once the virus penetrates, it can spread very quickly. My thanks to the operators in those industries for the exceptional measures they have taken to keep their workforce safe."
Luv-A-Duck chief executive James Thompson said the Nhill poultry facility's 150 employees would receive the testing from Thursday.
"Ballarat Health Services will conduct the testing on a once-weekly basis," he said.
"As far as I'm aware it will happen across October, and the government will make decisions around what occurs ongoing.
"We are quite happy to be involved in the testing. Obviously it extends our time of operations during the day so it's an added cost, but allied health did a great job last time they came up."
There is no suggestion any resident of Nhill or any employee of LuvaDuck has COVID-19.
The other Victorian industries which will need to undergo surveillance testing are meat processors, abattoirs, seafood processing, supermarket distribution centres and temperature-controlled perishable food distribution centres.
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Alexander Darling
Alexander has been a member of the Wimmera Mail-Times' editorial team since December 2018, covering politics, business and property among other rounds. He is a passionate St.Kilda and rock and roll fan, and has previously worked as a radio reporter in Port Macquarie and Gosford, NSW.
Alexander has been a member of the Wimmera Mail-Times' editorial team since December 2018, covering politics, business and property among other rounds. He is a passionate St.Kilda and rock and roll fan, and has previously worked as a radio reporter in Port Macquarie and Gosford, NSW.
