North East business leaders are deeply concerned a growing outbreak in Melbourne could lead to another statewide lockdown.
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On Wednesday, Victoria's COVID Commander Jerone Weimar revealed seven cases of COVID had been recorded in the early hours of Wednesday morning, in addition to a single case diagnosed overnight.
There are currently 26 active cases of COVID-19 in Victoria.
The person who returned a positive test overnight was the final member of the four-person family based in Hume, who returned from Sydney to Victoria on red permits.
Another positive case has been linked to the Hume cluster, with a man in his 30s testing positive for COVID-19 after attending the Craigieburn Coles at the same time as a member of the family.
While the removalists did not infect their customer at the Ariele apartment building four neighbours have since tested positive.
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One of the cases, a man in his 60s, later infected his elderly parents. The man also visited the MCG for the Geelong v Carlton game while unknowingly infectious.
Business Wodonga chief executive Neil Aird said unfortunately it wasn't looking good for Victoria.
"[Lockdown] is always a concern," he said. "I think it all depends a little bit on the next day or two and how far it spread from those seven cases. At the moment it doesn't look promising I don't think, the MCG being one of those sites is pretty broad, there's a lot of people potentially coming in contact with that infectious person."
Mr Aird said disturbingly it appeared COVID was spreading in capital cities on both sides of the border.
"It's very unsettling," he said. "Possibly more so than any other time, because usually it's just one or the other state affected. In this case NSW is struggling and it looks like Victoria is headed into the same situation."
President of Wodonga Retailers Greg Haysom is equally concerned.
He said residents were already confused about the border closure and NSW restrictions, and additional restrictions in Victoria would just add to that.
"What worries me is the confusion, even the confusion we have now," he said.
"It's just confusing, no one knows what they can or can't do."
Mr Haysom said if residents don't know whether they can cross the border or whether a business is open, they will probably just say 'too hard' and shop online.
Mr Aird said if cases are localised to Melbourne and a lockdown must occur, regional Victoria should be spared.
"If all of the cases are in Melbourne don't punish the whole state," he said.
Mr Haysom said he understands why statewide lockdowns occur as people in both Sydney and Melbourne want to flee to the regions to escape lockdown.
But hopes next time it is more localised so businesses in Wodonga and the North East don't suffer, again.
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