UPDATE:
Wodonga's new four-lane testing clinic will almost double the city's capacity and play a vital role during the current outbreak and beyond.
Albury Wodonga health chief executive Michael Kalimnios said the Wodonga Racecourse and Vermont Street clinics had both closed, but opening this facility had significantly increased testing capacity.
He said the capacity of the Smythe Street clinic had also doubled.
"Whilst our rates in terms of positive cases do seem to be dropping, or certainly plateauing, we are not really confident yet that we're out of the wood in terms of this latest outbreak," he said.
"So it really is important people continue to get tested so we get a really good understanding of the extent of the outbreak in our area."
Mr Kalimnios said across Albury and Wodonga there were now six testing clinics, and he was 'pretty confident' they could meet the demand.
Victorian COVID-19 commander Jeroen Weimar praised the testing staff present.
He said 15 per cent of all COVID cases were now in regional Victoria so testing capacity was vital.
"It's great to actually have this [new testing clinic] because it's also a physical commitment to the ongoing management of COVID over the summer months," he said.
"This isn't quite over yet, we need to ensure anyone who has symptoms comes forward quickly to get tested and you'll be able to do that here, you'll be able to do that efficiently and simply..."
Mr Weimar emphasised the importance of vaccination in getting case numbers down and allowing the state to move beyond restrictions.
"Let's all hope that the border restrictions are now something very much in our history and we don't go back to those again," he said.
"The way we avoid that is by getting ourselves vaccinated and really stamping out the last remaining cases of COVID in our community."
PREVIOUSLY:
Victoria's COVID response commander is visiting the Border this morning to open a COVID-19 testing clinic.
Albury Wodonga Health said this morning Jeroen Weimar will officially open the Lakeside COVID-19 testing clinic at Gateway Lakes at 9am.
In comes a day after daily case numbers in both Albury and Wodonga saw a significant rise from Wednesday.
Murrumbidgee Local Health District's Emma Field said Albury's case jump could be due to household contacts of previously identified cases also testing positive.
MORE TO COME after the opening.
Digital journalists with The Border Mail.
Digital journalists with The Border Mail.
