Edward River mayor Norm Brennan urges Deniliquin residents to stay on COVID alert

Anxiety levels in the council area's major population centres intensified when four new venues of concern in the town were released by Murrumbidgee Local Health District.

Three other places in Deniliquin also had times of possible exposure updated.

"We've been fortunate for 18 months that we haven't had a case," Cr Brennan said.

"It's a case of not if, but when you do get them.

"We've now had three in the last few days.

"It just emphasises that everyone needs to be on their toes because it doesn't take much for the ball to start rolling."

The town's first case of COVID, a man, presented to Deniliquin hospital last week before being transferred to Melbourne.

Two close contacts of his have tested positive and are in isolation.

The new venues of concern in Deniliquin are the Big4 Holiday Park, Reject Shop, GV Bargains and Coles supermarket.

The detection of multiple cases in Deniliquin comes as Edward River has low vaccination rates compared to neighbouring council areas including Berrigan, Murray and Federation.

Edward River has a first dose percentage of only 58.3 per cent and double dose percentage of 42.2 per cent for its eligible population of 7426 people.

Berrigan's first and double dose percentages are 86.9 and 60.8 per cent respectively.

It has prompted Edward River Council to ask MLHD to investigate the discrepancy.

"Our neighbours seem to have better figures than ours, but we've got a bit of a query with them," Cr Brennan said.

"We know we've had 13,500 doses so far come in, but based on the percentages of people (eligible) there is a discrepancy of 4000.

"If it was 40 you wouldn't worry, but 4000 is a huge figure.

"We were short on vaccines to start with, but we aren't now.

"Hopefully it's only a glitch."

A pop-up jab clinic was stationed in Deniliquin at the weekend and Cr Brennan said his council had been issuing a "pro active" message to residents to get vaccination levels up further in print and electronic media and social media.

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