The new cases come as Goulburn Valley Health chief executive Matt Sharp revealed some people were not getting tested for COVID-19 until up to three days after showing symptoms, and flagged more community testing would be held in the coming days.
Mr Sharp said the two new cases had not yet been linked to any existing outbreak, and contact tracing was under way to determine a possible connection.
Seven of the active cases are related to the Shepparton Villages outbreak, being two staff members, one resident, and four close contacts of the staff members who are not employed at Shepparton Villages.
Mr Sharp said there was one community outbreak that had 10 linked active cases.
He said there were three other separate active cases, and one is connected to an active case in Campaspe Shire.
There are two active cases in Campaspe Shire, and no known cases in Benalla Rural City, Strathbogie Shire or Moira Shire.
Mr Sharp said the occasional discrepancy between COVID-19 case numbers provided by GV Health and the Department of Health and Human Services was a result of administrative delays.
“There's a lot of work happening behind the scenes in regards to administration and related processes,” Mr Sharp said.
“From time to time, there can be a little bit of a delay of that information being updated.”
Mr Sharp said there were no inpatients currently being treated for COVID-19 at GV Health, and all active cases were well enough to remain in home isolation.
He said while the number of cases might rise in the coming days, he expected the numbers to stabilise soon.
“What we're seeing more broadly across the state, particularly in Melbourne, is the restrictions that were introduced about two weeks ago are now starting to have an effect,” Mr Sharp said.
“And that's exactly the same thing that's happening in regional Victoria, and in our case, Shepparton and in the Goulburn Valley.”
Mr Sharp said more community testing would be held in the coming days, as well as testing in high-risk workplaces, including at meatworks and food processors, on request from the Department of Health and Human Services.
“So we're communicating with those industry groups or employers in our region to be able to do that testing, hopefully by the end of this week,” Mr Sharp said.
“(And) we'll share that information and the sites (for community testing) when that's available.”
On average, about 105 people were being tested for COVID-19 in the region each day.
“But what we're actually finding is that people do have symptoms, and they're not getting tested straight away,” Mr Sharp said.
“So people are having symptoms for up to three days and are not getting tested.
“The simple message is, as soon as you get even the most mild a symptom of flu, a flu-like illness or a cough or a cold, get tested straight away.
“It is a serious disease, and it's not something that should be dismissed.”
Victoria recorded 282 new COVID-19 cases, and 25 deaths — the highest number of deaths reported nationwide in a single day.
Anyone who is unwell with any symptoms of COVID-19, no matter how mild (such as fever, chills, cough, sore throat, runny nose, loss of sense of smell), should get tested immediately and stay at home.
GV Health's Acute Respiratory Clinic at Graham St, Shepparton is open seven days a week from 8 am to 5.30 pm and does not require an appointment.
For more information, phone the coronavirus hotline on 1800 675 398 or visit www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/coronavirus
18°C