MEMBER for Mildura Ali Cupper has written to the Victorian Health Minister asking for COVID-19 testing eligibility to be expanded to include anyone who had been in Melbourne or had contact with someone from the city.
Testing remains targeted at those showing symptoms, although people with even mild symptoms were encouraged to get tested.
Victoria claims one of the highest per capita testing rates in the world.
Ms Cupper said the recent confirmed coronavirus case in the Swan Hill municipality and growing case numbers in regional Victoria showed the criteria needed to change.
“It is clear there have been a lot of people travel to our region during the school holidays from the greater Melbourne region,” Ms Cupper said.
“The Victorian Government’s tight lockdown of Melbourne last week will help minimise the risk of community transmission into regional Victoria, but we have to be sure that has not already happened.
“Given many people can be asymptomatic, or be infectious for up to two days before showing symptoms, the best way of ensuring the safety of our community is to widen the testing criteria.”
Ms Cupper’s letter to Health Minister Jenny Mikakos said the expanded criteria should include anyone who had visited Melbourne in the past 14 days.
A Department of Health and Human Services spokeswoman said more than 1,197,300 tests had been processed to date.
“We’re currently focusing on symptomatic testing in Victoria — anyone who has even the mildest of symptoms should get tested,” the spokeswoman said.
Common symptoms are fever, dry cough, sore throat, runny nose, shortness of breath, loss of sense of smell and taste.
Ms Cupper told Sunraysia residents to remain vigilant and continue measures such as social distancing, good personal hygiene and hand-washing.
“As an abundance of caution, I would also urge anyone who has been to Melbourne recently, or has had visitors from Melbourne, to consider wearing a face mask in public if they are unable to social-distance,” she said.
