HORSHAM will join nine other towns across Victoria in having its wastewater tested by the Department of Health and Human Services for traces of coronavirus.
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Minister for the Coordination of Health and Human Services: COVID-19 Martin Foley announced the surveillance testing changes on Saturday.
"While we do find fragments from time to time from through that wastewater program, that gives communities an early indication of geting out there and getting tested," he said.
"In (surf coast) communities, that program has indicated while there have been fragments of coronavirus in wastewater, the extensive public testing that followed that advice showed there weren't any active cases in those communities.
"We want to make sure that as we expand more sites across regional Victoria, it gives the community the assurance that in addition to the tens of thousands of Victorians that get tested each week, we've got the testing areas covered.
"There is nothing more important that you can do if you've got any early signs of the virus than get tested. This wastewater testing is part of the other armoury public health units bring to reassuring Victorians that the safe careful reopening of Victoria (is appropriate)."
There are 30 cities across the state already having their wastewater tested, including Ararat.
The other new sites are Bacchus Marsh, Gisborne, Melton, Portland, Warrnambool, Hamilton, Cowes, Bairnsdale and Kilmore.
The latter of these sites, 60 kilometres north of Melbourne, is where a person infected with the virus ate at a cafe during and a staff member worked whilst asymptomatic but infectious between September 30 and October 3.
There are five active cases of coronavirus in regional Victoria as of Saturday, none of them in the Wimmera or Grampians regions.
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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.
