Northeast Health Wangaratta confident latest positive COVID-19 case isn't a major concern

Northeast Health Wangaratta said the infected resident is a close household contact of an existing case in the town.

"The person has been isolating throughout and there's been no new exposure sites added," a North East Health Wangaratta spokesperson said.

It takes Wangaratta to four active cases.

Childcare and kindergarten centre Country Buddies, on Mason Street, remains the only Wangaratta exposure site after it was classified as a tier one location on Sunday.

Northeast Health Wangaratta will offer walk-in vaccination appointments on Thursday and Friday for essential workers at its Tone Road clinic.

"Walk-in appointments are being made available for authorised workers to help local businesses meet the Victorian government's deadline of all authorised workers having had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by October 15," a spokesperson said.

"Walk-in appointments are also being offered to anyone receiving their second dose of Pfizer who would like to bring their second dose forward from six weeks to three weeks."

IN OTHER NEWS:

Increased COVID testing capacity will be made available in Benalla if required.

Despite no exposure sites reported in the town, Benalla Council and Benalla Health have set up an extra testing station at the Benalla showgrounds should the situation change in the coming days.

The additional site will only be activated on the advice of Benalla Health, opening and closing times would then be broadly advertised to inform the community.

Benalla mayor Danny Claridge said it was purely a precautionary step.

"At this stage we don't have any local COVID-19 exposures sites, however, the council is working in partnership with Benalla Health to help protect our community should the need arise," he said.

A further two cases were announced in Moira Shire on Wednesday, among 80 across regional Victoria.

Nathalia Library is as a tier one exposure site.

Anyone who attended between 9.30am and 5.30pm on Thursday, September 30 and 9.30am and 1pm on Friday October 1 is urged to get tested and quarantine for 14 days from exposure.

Numurkah's Telegraph Hotel has also been listed as tier one with exposure on Wednesday, September 29 from 5.30pm to 7.15pm.

Meanwhile, more Victorians stranded north of the border will have the opportunity to come home as the state starts to ease its COVID-19 border restrictions.

From midnight, the red zone areas in NSW and ACT will be downgraded to orange zones.

Victorians in Greater Sydney and other areas of NSW considered extreme risk zones will be downgraded to red zones, but a permit and 14 days of home quarantine is required upon their return.

Health Minister Martin Foley said authorities were confident enough to make the changes given the improving outlook in NSW.

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