This live blog has now ended. Please check back in the morning for the latest coronavirus updates for Sunraysia. In the meantime, you can find an up-to-date list of exposure sites in Victoria here. A list of exposure sites in NSW can be found here or a map is available here.
Cases confirmed in Dareton
2.55pm: There are four COVID-19 cases in Dareton, Far West Local Health District (FWLHD) confirmed on Thursday afternoon.
The cases in Dareton are in addition to the nine cases currently active in Mildura.
Two of the cases are from the same household in Dareton, while the other two are from another household in the same town.
They were identified through testing which occurred on Wednesday and the cases will be included in Friday's NSW case numbers.
All four cases are self-isolating at home, and close contacts who have been identified are also in isolation and undergoing testing.
A total of 11 close contacts and two household contacts have been identified so far.
Dareton residents are urged to limit their movements in the community, and according to a FWLHD spokesperson, "widespread COVID-19 testing is critical".
Anyone with even mild cold-like symptoms is asked to come forward immediately for testing.
Those who are symptomatic or live with someone who has symptoms or are casual contacts of someone with COVID-19 will need to test and isolate until negative test results are received. Close contacts need to isolate for 14 days regardless of their test results.
COVID-19 testing locations in Sunraysia
Victoria:
- Aerodrome Ovals: 1.30pm to 6pm on Thursday, from 8.30am to 5.30pm on Friday and Saturday, and from 8.30am to 1.30pm on Sunday.
- Barratt & Smith Pathology: 8am to 4pm Monday to Friday and from 8am to noon on Saturday.
- Water tower, Tenth Street: from 9am today only (Indigenous people only)
Testing is for people who are symptomatic, have been contacted by the Victorian Government to be tested, or have been to an exposure site once they are released.
NSW:
- George Gordon Oval, Dareton: 10am-2.30pm daily
- Alcheringa Oval, Gol Gol: 10am-2.30pm daily
- Wentworth Show Grounds: 9am-3pm Monday-Friday and 10am-2pm Saturday and Sunday
Today's COVID wrap: the basics
There were four new COVID-19 cases reported in Mildura on Thursday, taking the LGA's total to nine active cases. All four cases are from the same household. There were also four cases recorded on Wednesday.
No exposure sites had yet been listed in the Mildura or Wentworth LGAs.
Victoria recorded 1638 new COVID-19 cases and two deaths on Thursday. Victoria's press conference started at 11.15am.
MDAS sets up Indigenous testing clinic
12.30pm: Mallee District Aboriginal Services (MDAS) has set up a COVID-19 testing site under the water tower on the corner of Tenth Street and Orange Avenue for members of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community.
The Koori-only testing site will run today only and was set up in response to "rapidly increasing" COVID-19 case numbers in Sunraysia's Aboriginal community.
Additionally, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people no longer have to book an appointment to get vaccinated at MDAS' Orange Avenue clinic – they can walk in and get their jab within minutes.
MDAS chief executive Jacki Turfrey encouraged Indigenous people to get tested and vaccinated as soon as possible.
"We care about our community and care about stopping the spread of COVID-19 in our communities," she said.
"Please get tested today and book for a vaccine.
"If you have tested positive to COVID-19, please isolate to protect your loved ones and families.
"If you don’t have anywhere to self-isolate, please let us know and phone MDAS on 5018 4100.
"This virus isn’t something that people spread intentionally; it is something that happens and sometimes people are unaware they are spreading it to others. Let’s show support and kindness rather than discriminating and pushing our mob away."
Cops could be caught in COVID crossfire
11.50am: MILDURA police Superintendent Rebecca Olsen said a number of police members were expected to be affected by the latest COVID exposure sites.
However she said it was something they had been dealing with since the start of the pandemic.
"There are expected impacts to our staff and workplaces but this has been the case for the previous 18 months and we are well versed in the practices that keep our members as safe as possible in the dynamic environment that they are working in daily," Supt Olsen said.
In relation to ensuring the community was kept safe and those from restricted areas prevented from entering the region, she said there was still travel permitted between states, which was occurring legitimately.
"As NSW continues to open we will see increased travel," Supt Olsen said.
"VicPol have additional resources deployed to the Mallee with a focus looking south, detecting travellers from Melbourne but also identifying those that are travelling across states without legitimate reason and without the correct permits."
Sarah Harman
Mildura courts reopen after COVID scare
11.30am: MILDURA Law Courts reopened on Thursday after being closed the previous day due to a COVID-positive person attending the building on Tuesday morning.
Court hearings were held online on Wednesday by a magistrate based in Bendigo.
"Affected staff and court users have been tested and are following Department of Health directions," a Court Services Victoria spokesperson said. "There have been no further positive results.
"The law courts were subject to deep cleaning overnight (Wednesday) and are considered safe to attend."
Many staff returned to the court on Thursday after returning negative test results.
The County Court, which was sitting at Mildura, has adjourned all hearings for the circuit, which was to wrap up on October 15.
However County Court hearings will resume on 18 October at the beginning of the next scheduled circuit.
Sarah Harman
Coomealla High School community goes into isolation
11.15am: Coomealla High School community members have tested positive for COVID-19.
At 10am on Thursday, relieving principal Duncan Driscoll posted on the school's Facebook page that all students were to be collected immediately.
All staff and students have been advised to go into self-isolation until further advice can be provided.
A NSW Education spokesperson said in a statement shortly before 11.30am that the school was closing "immediately", with supervision provided until all students could be collected.
"All staff and students are asked to self-isolate and follow the NSW health advice and protocols," they said.
"The NSW Department of Education will continue to work closely with NSW Health to ensure the health and safety of all students and staff is maintained."
According to Member for Murray Helen Dalton, two students from the school had tested positive.
Caitlyn Morgan and Lucy Bain
Testing sites ready to go
10.30am: Mildura Rural City Council said that in response to this week's positive COVID-19 cases in the Sunraysia region, additional testing resources were being brought in to ensure people who needed to get tested could do so.
A testing site at the Old Aerodrome Ovals was being established on Thursday morning as a team from Bendigo Health travelled to the region to assist with testing.
A separate site was established by Mallee District Aboriginal Services for Indigenous-only COVID testing following concerns that there was a "rapidly increasing" number of COVID-19 cases in Mildura's Indigenous community.
The Aerodrome Ovals testing clinic, on Eleventh Street, will be open from 1.30pm to 6pm on Thursday, from 8.30am to 5.30pm on Friday and Saturday, and from 8.30am to 1.30pm on Sunday.
Barratt & Smith Pathology, in Mildura, is operating a walk-in clinic at the corner of Tenth Street and Langtree Avenue, (enter from Shillidays Lane off Tenth Street) from 8am to 4pm Monday to Friday and from 8am to noon on Saturday.
Testing is for people who are symptomatic, have been contacted by the Victorian Government to be tested, or have been to an exposure site once they are released.
Allan Murphy
Hospital staff isolating after possible contact as COVID ward is set up
10am: Sixty Mildura Base Public Hospital Staff are in isolation and its paediatric ward has been converted to a COVID-19 facility as Sunraysia's health authorities deal with the latest outbreak.
A discharged patient who did not test positive until they had left the hospital was the trigger for the action plan and affected staff were contacted late on Wednesday and told they would have to isolate.
Most of those staff work in clinical areas, putting pressure on the hospital's wider operations and prompting an appeal to the public not to visit its emergency department unless absolutely necessary.
Hospital chief executive Terry Welch said the organisation was operating under a well-prepared outbreak plan, which included using the paediatric ward as a "scovid" (suspected COVID) ward.
This area was being used because air circulation could be controlled and child patients had been moved to other parts of the hospital.
Mr Welch said, however, that while the hospital was well prepared to cope with the situation, the loss of so many crucial workers from a staff of 1100 would put "real pressure" on operations and would mean the postponement of some treatments and operations.
He stressed that while the emergency department would remain capable of handling serious incidents, the public could support the hospital by avoiding using it unless necessary.
"We need people to be realistic about the emergency department and perhaps see a GP instead," he said.
As part of a Victorian COVID-19 management plan, the hospital is ready to transfer COVID patients to Bendigo if necessary.
Bernard Humphreys
