Bendigo Health announces ‘shift’ in testing as cases overwhelm testing capacity
Anxious parents and students have been warned to stay away from Bendigo testing sites as the regional Covid cluster starts to infiltrate multiple schools.
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Anxious parents and students have been warned to stay away from Bendigo testing centres as the regional Covid cluster grows by an additional 28 cases overnight on Thursday.
Bendigo, Latrobe, Shepparton, Geelong and Mildura were all highlighted as communities of concern during the Thursday’s Covid presser.
It comes as health authorities confirmed 214 new cases across regional Victoria, making up 10 per cent of the state's 2232 new locally acquired cases.
Thursday’s figures brings the regional active cases to 1811.
The growth in cases across Central Victoria comes as Bendigo Health announces a shift in testing procedures to ease pressure on the regional health system.
For the past two weeks Bendigo Health testing services have repeatedly reached capacity as residents line up for a swab.
On Thursday Bendigo Health announced a new shift in its approach to testing on the eve of Victoria’s restrictions easing.
“(It’s) the shift we all need to make in our approach to Covid,” Bendigo Health said.
“Contact tracing is focused on high risk contacts and we will only be asking primary close contacts and symptomatic people to be tested.”
On the eve of further easing of restrictions our CEO is talking to the local media about the shift we all need to make in our approach to COVID. Contact tracing is focussed on high risk contacts and we will only be asking primary close contacts and symptomatic people to be tested pic.twitter.com/ZsLq3syDP4
— Bendigo Health (@Bendigo_health) October 21, 2021
Bendigo Health has also warned anxious parents and students to not overwhelm testing centres after multiple Bendigo schools were pinged as exposure sites.
“We are aware a number of schools have closed due to Covid-19 positive students,” Bendigo Health said on Wednesday.
“Unless your child has been identified as a primary close contact or has symptoms, they do not require a Covid-19 test.”
On Wednesday, 871 people took a Covid test through the Bendigo Health service after dozens of new exposure sites were listed.
The surge in demand comes the day after Covid response commander Jeroen Weimar said there was “significant new work happening” in Greater Bendigo.
On Wednesday Mr Weimar said many of Bendigo’s new cases were being generated from the exposure sites listed on the websites of the Health Department and Loddon Mallee Public Health.
He drew attention to a gym and a hairdresser that had “generated significant exposures and onward transmission”.
Wednesday’s figures brought the active case tally in Central Victoria to 318.
There were 132 active cases in Bendigo, 126 in Mitchell Shire, 42 in the Macedon Ranges, 12 in Campaspe, four in Gannawarra and two in Mount Alexander.
Gannawarra was briefly Covid free last week, however case numbers have returned.
Loddon Shire, Buloke and the Central Goldfields remain Covid free.
On Wednesday Bendigo Health confirmed it was treating 17 Covid patients through the regional streaming hospital.
Bendigo Health confirmed that 12 patients were being treated in the respiratory ward, while another five people were in the intensive care unit.
A further 77 people were being monitored through the Hospital in the Home program.
There are 779 people in hospitals across the state, with 141 in intensive care and 96 on a ventilator.
More than 37,000 vaccines were administered by state services on Wednesday.
It comes as the state prepares to exit the world’s longest lockdown at midnight.
Health authorities said 94.4 per cent of Greater Bendigo had received at least one dose, while 71 per cent were fully vaccinated.
On Tuesday 997 people were vaccinated through the Bendigo Health vaccination hub, bringing the total vaccination rate in the region to 114,573.
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