No changes have been flagged to the border bubble at Victoria's COVID update on Friday after Albury was sent into lockdown late Thursday.
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COVID-19 commander Jeroen Weimar said there were already restrictions in place in relation to Wodonga people, or those from within the bubble, entering Albury.
"For those people in Wodonga, there are already restrictions under way as in why you are eligible to cross the border," he said on Friday morning.
"But we would say to Wodonga people ... only enter Albury if you absolutely must for an essential purpose, and of course we would much rather you minimise movement."
Mr Weimar said there had been four examples in the past few days of truck drivers who had travelled through the North East while infectious with COVID, and those matters were being monitored closely.
"It is critically important that this most critical of services maintains its protocols," he said.
He clarified that Wodonga residents do not to isolate on returning from Albury, if they have crossed the border for a permitted reason.
"Wodonga residents are under the existing controls around the border bubble," he said.
"That's a significant challenge for that community given how entwined those two towns are.
"It's very important people continue to operate in line with those restrictions."
He said there had been no evidence of any transmission into Victoria, following two COVID cases of people with Albury addresses this week.
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There were 511 new cases in Victoria reported on Friday, with nine new cases across regional Victoria.
Those cases include three more in Ballarat, with nine active cases across three different households in that city.
There were two new cases in Geelong, one in the East Wimmera and one in the La Trobe Valley.
EARLIER: At least eight North East food businesses have closed because of concerns over exposure to coronavirus cases.
On Friday, Victorian health officials reported 510 new local cases and one acquired overseas, as well as the death of one person with COVID-19.
"Of the 510 local cases, 124 have so far been linked to known cases and outbreaks," the Department of Health and Human Services said.
There were 43,993 vaccines administered and 55,476 test results received.
Late on Thursday, Wodonga Rothman Alljoy Chinese Restaurant restaurant was named as a tier two exposure site, but other businesses have also posted information on their Facebook pages.
They include Wangaratta businesses Treats Coffee Shop, Bosch Edward Street Butchers and Aroma Deli Cafe, Benalla's Rustik Cafe and Foodstore and Wodonga's Lee Corner Restaurant.
A summary of the business messages
Treats Coffee Shop: Today (Thursday) we have closed early, as one of our staff members, attended another business in town after a delivery driver (who is now Covid positive) visited. That staff member immediately isolated and got tested as per instructed by DHHS. At this point in time, DHHS has not contacted us directly. As this staff member worked Tuesday and Wednesday over the lunch period out of abundance of caution for our community, we have closed and all staff and primary close contacts have been tested and are isolating until we receive a negative result. We will reopen once all staff members are cleared.
Bosch Edward Street Butchers: (see below)
Aroma Deli Cafe: Unfortunately, we are writing to inform you that due to being a possible exposure site to COVID-19, Aroma Deli Cafe will be closed until further notice. We are all currently undertaking testing and self isolation until we get our results. We are working with the necessary authorities to ensure that all steps are being taken to safeguard our community. The potential exposure was a delivery driver on Monday September 13. The delivery was received at approximately 7:30am for a very brief period of time.
Rustik Cafe and Foodstore: After receiving a phone call from one of our suppliers today, we were given the news nobody wants to hear. A delivery driver from Melbourne who visited the store on Monday has tested positive for COVID. Whilst we have been told by DHHS that we are regarded as a low risk site, with the upmost respect for our community, we have made the decision to close tomorrow (Friday) whilst our staff get tested and the store is professionally cleaned and sanitised. We hope to re-open on Saturday (staff will be isolating until we get negative test results) but we will keep you all posted.
MORE COVID NEWS:
The second Albury case was confirmed by Murrumbidgee Local Health District public health director Tracey Oakman as a passenger on the XPT from Sydney to Albury on Sunday, September 12.
IN OTHER NEWS:
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