THE effort of the Mildura community to contain the latest COVID-19 outbreak without additional community spread has been described as a “significant achievement” by Member for Mildura Ali Cupper.
Ms Cupper told State Parliament this week that while the Mildura outbreak had been a “significant ordeal” that the community had endured for two-and-a-half weeks, she was proud of the community response.
“For the first time in 17 months, a COVID-19 case hit our region,” Ms Cupper said.
“A man in his 30s innocently attended a footy match at the MCG, returned to Mildura and tested positive a week later,” she said.
“From the moment that case of the Delta variant was made public, our community leapt to action.
“We waited with bated breath as the list of exposure sites grew — in all there were 10 (and) many were significant venues.”
Ms Cupper said 55 hospital staff were forced into isolation, putting immense strain on available services, more than 700 people were forced to quarantine after visiting tier 1 exposure sites and lines for drive-through testing stretched for kilometres.
“Not only did we have to contend with the Delta variant, but our location made bringing relief services in an incredibly challenging task,” she said.
“Weather conditions on the highest-demand days were atrocious, with sideways rain and unseasonably cold temperatures.
“Our community owes a lot to the front-line health staff, including the extra health professionals from Shepparton, Bendigo and Swan Hill.
“And yet, despite everything thrown at us, a community who had avoided an active COVID case for 17 months, we got through it.”
The highest active case total was five, restricted to household contacts of the initial case.
“I say it a lot, that we’re Victorians too,” Ms Cupper said.
“And there’s no better demonstration than this significant achievement – we did it for us, and we did it for you.”
