Concerns about COVID-19 spreading to regional Victoria have been compounded by news a truck driver who caused the Kilmore cluster didn't tell DHHS he visited Shepparton.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Hundreds of people were tested in the city yesterday after three people tested positive at a tyre business, which the driver visited.
While he had a permit allowing his travel into regional Victoria on September 30, he was not permitted to dine in Kilmore or visit the Bunnings in Shepparton.
Benalla mayor Danny Claridge said luckily, there had been no cases of COVID-19 in Benalla due to the driver's stop in the city.
"We've got a pandemic sub-committee ready to go, but in that particular instance the people here tested negative, so there was nothing for us to do," he said.
"We would have acted immediately if someone had tested positive.
"A lot of the rural cities now understand you can't wait and rely on the state government and DHHS."
Cr Claridge said he was "constantly" hearing rumours of people who have properties in Melbourne travelling back and forth between regional areas and the city.
"The is no ring of steel, that's for sure," he said.
"Someone who is positive can well and truly come to the country. We just have to be aware and make sure we continue our good hygiene and stay distanced. "Hopefully it [the Shepparton cluster] won't upset the way we're going ... we don't want any more restrictions, and we'd love to see a lessening of restrictions and prefer to go to a NSW model.
"Regional Victoria deserves it."
Northern Victoria MP Tania Maxwell said COVID-19 being detected in Shepparton shouldn't impede the lifting of restrictions in regional areas.
"I think it would be a bit premature to pull the reins in so to speak," she sad.
"There's certainly concerns ... but I hope the community can pull together.
"I hope that those numbers remain minimal, but if they do escalate, that it's managed.
"This is a virus we're going to have to live with - let's have businesses re-opening.
"Let's harden this ring of marshmallow and let's allow our businesses, particularly in regional and rural areas, to open up safely."
Ms Maxwell said footage she shared showing cars being waved through at the checkpoint on the Hume Freeway had received no response from government.
"I have mentioned this several times to the government and have not had feedback on changes that they would be enforcing," she said.
"If the government is going to spruik their ring of steel, at least reinforce that - hold fast the promise you've made."
Euroa MP Steph Ryan was concerned about what the latest numbers would mean for regional areas.
"Mitchell Shire went through the stage four lockdown when it was originally included with Melbourne ... for people to find themselves at the coal face of it again with the localised outbreak has been very difficult," she said.
IN OTHER NEWS:
"The community of Kilmore has responded magnificently, they don't want to find themselves back in severe lockdown.
"So to see it has spread further is going to be a real blow to everybody."
Ms Ryan said people would be "gobsmacked" contract tracers weren't given the full picture.
"There's a lot of movement between Shepparton and the surrounding region," she said.
"I'm really worried about the lengthy lines we're seeing for testing, both contact tracing and testing needs to be urgently ramped up."