Corryong Health Service has swabbed eight people for COVID-19, as one of the many health services managing inquiries in rural areas.
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Chief executive Dominic Sandilands said Corryong was the farthest eastern location in Towong Shire testing for COVID-19.
"The standard response for anyone who has symptoms, as advised by the department, is that the person stays at home, calls the coronavirus hotline and our medical clinic," he said.
"We are doing swabs at the clinic, and we ask that clients call ahead if they need to come.
"We have a fever clinic established where we can do testing, and we do have isolation rooms. We are equipped to handle that."
For the past two weeks, every person who has entered Corryong Health has been checked for warning signs of COVID-19.
"We undertake screening across the board; all of our staff and clients are being screened upon entering the building and we've limited access points," Mr Sandilands said.
"We're asking the standard screening questions and taking temperatures of every person going into the building."
At Tallangatta Health all staff and contractors are also being screened in the same way.
"We have visitor restrictions in our acute ward and residential aged care is completely locked down, with their permission," chief executive Denise Parry said.
"Our GP practice is open and functioning.
"We don't intend to set up a fever clinic at this point in time."
THS is not swabbing people, but will undertake a screening process and refer people to their closest clinic, which is Albury Wodonga Health in most cases.
Ms Parry said most people were being responsible and calling ahead before attending THS about COVID-19 inquiries, and observing signage at the health service.
"Our community seems to have some expectation we could provide them with hand hygiene and masks ... I had a very irate person in the community who was not happy they would not be given a mask," she said.
"Unfortunately, we can't give them out to just anyone, we need to preserve our vital supplies.
"If it is medically required that you need a mask, you will be given one, but we're not handing them out.
"I have to protect our staff and the people we are caring for, which in turn protects the community."
Walwa Bush Nursing Centre chief executive Sandi Grieve said their approach was on a case-by-case basis.
"Where we think there is potential for somebody to be worse-off for travelling to Albury-Wodonga to undergo testing, such as if they were elderly, we are certainly prepared to collect swabs here," she said.
"We are fielding calls about COVID-19 literally all day, I don't think we have been busier.
"The only patients we've had who fit the criteria for swabbing, we have referred on.
"We referred one to Wagga, and one was referred to Albury.
"We have had a bit of an outbreak of flu and tonsillitis ... those people have every right to be worried. That's compounding matters."
Ms Grieve urged the community to trust information from the government and not what they see on social media.
"If it hasn't been sent out by either the local hospital, or state or federal governments, don't believe it," she said.
"It's reflective of the fact people are feeling a bit out of control.
"But the easiest things people can do are hand-washing, not touching their faces, and social distancing."
The largest grow in cases in our region has been on the NSW side of the border, but in recent days Wodonga and Towong have each recorded a positive result.
Today, Wangaratta's first case has also been confirmed.
IN OTHER NEWS:
The Victorian Health Department has not confirmed where the three cases were tested.
There are two cases in Mansfield, six in Moira, and one each in Wodonga, Wangaratta, Towong, Benalla and Strathbogie.
The total number of COVID-19 cases in Victoria is 821, an increase of 56 from Sunday, of which 146 are in regional Victoria.
The Victorian Department of Health and Human Services has a hotline for public information on COVID-19, which is 1800 675 398.
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