East Gippsland’s positive COVID-19 case numbers doubled from three to six in the space of three days from Saturday.
The new cases come as local doctors urge people with the mildest symptoms to be tested following a significant drop in testing numbers in the area since stage three restrictions were reintroduced.
Bairnsdale Medical Group practice manager, Piero Baglioni, which operates the Bairnsdale Respiratory Clinic, said there had also been a 50 per cent drop in patients being tested over the past fortnight.
“The only way we’re going to know if there are more cases out there in the community is if people come forward and get tested,” he said.
Orbost Regional Health chief executive officer, Vicki Farthing, said it’s important that people who believe they have the symptoms book in for a test at the drive-through clinic, which is open from 9am to 10am Monday to Friday.
“We’ve seen about a 50 per cent drop in testing numbers over the past week to 10 days,” Ms Farthing said.
“To allay the fears of the community, Orbost Regional Health has not been notified that it conducted the positive test. It is likely the person has a local postcode but doesn’t reside in the area.”
As of 5pm Monday, six positive cases had been detected across the district, three of which were active. Five of the six were under the postcode of 3875, which takes in municipalities Bairnsdale, Banksia Peninsula, Bengworden, Broadlands, Calulu, Clifton Creek, Deptford, East Bairnsdale, Eastwood, Ellaswood, Fairy Dell, Flaggy Creek, Forge Creek, Goon Nure, Granite Rock, Hillside, Iguana Creek, Lindenow South, Lucknow, Marthavale, Melwood, Merrijig, Mount Taylor, Newlands Arm, Sarsfield, Tabberabbera, Walpa, Waterholes, Wentworth, Woodglen, Wuk Wuk and Wy Yung.
The other case, which is active, was detected in postcode 3888, which includes the towns of Bendoc, Bete Belong, Bonang, Brodribb River, Cabanandra, Cape Conran Corringle, Delegate, Goongerah, Haydens Bog, Jarrahmond, Lochend, Marlo, Martins Creek, Nurran, Omeo Valley, Orbost, Simpsons Creek, Tostaree, Tubbutt, Waygara and Wombat Creek,
People have raised concerns about the lack transparency in the postcode system, however it was announced on Monday more specific information about cases will be released with a new dashboard being created for the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) website.
Health Minister Jenny Mikakos said the new dashboard will include more information around high risk areas for coronavirus across the state.
“This will include not only active case numbers, and a number of deaths, it will have details around outbreaks it will have details around aged care settings, hospitalisations, high risk locations for the first time,” Ms Mikakos said.
