Mercy Place has three new deaths, nine in total since outbreak start

Murrumbidgee Local Health District reported two deaths on Monday - a woman in her 80s who had received one dose of vaccine and a fully vaccinated woman in her 90s - but the third death will appear in Tuesday's numbers.

A Mercy Health spokeswoman said all three had been managing significant health issues and had tested positive to COVID-19 in the past two weeks.

"There have been nine COVID-related resident deaths at Mercy Place Albury since the start of the outbreak on 17 October," the spokeswoman said.

"In total, 30 residents and six staff members have tested positive to the virus.

"Following the clearance of COVID-19 in 11 residents, there are now 10 active resident cases of the virus in our home, with more expected to be cleared later today (Monday)."

It comes as 20 new cases in Albury and 12 new cases in Wodonga were recorded in the 24 hours to 8pm on Sunday.

Two cases were reported in Wagga, while Wangaratta, Federation and Edward River council areas all recorded one new case.

Murrumbidgee Local Health District chief executive Jill Ludord said vaccination was a key protection against the virus for everyone, but some residential aged care services were faced with challenges ensuring that.

Ms Ludford said some of the challenges in residential aged care facilities were when new residents moved into their home at the facility.

"It's about ensuring now that we check that vaccination status of people who come in to new residential aged care facilities," she said.

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"And if they're partially vaccinated making sure their general practitioner completes that full vaccination regime."

Ms Ludford couldn't yet say whether the outbreak in Albury-Wodonga had passed its highest point.

"We've got case numbers that are sitting somewhere between 15 and 20 a day and some of it I guess is predicated on the number of tests we do," she said.

"So say when we do have high testing we do tend to have high case numbers, but each day if we're getting more and more numbers than we've always got more cases under investigation."

Albury Wodonga Health said it conducted 342 tests on Sunday in total and since Friday had conducted 623 tests at its newly opened Lakeside Testing clinic.

Ms Ludford said there was still community transmission in Albury.

"Particularly in the under 19s who are very active in the community," she said. "We really need to make sure we get people doing their QR code check ins so we can absolutely track and trace everybody."

Ms Ludford said the joint MLHD - Department of Education rapid antigen testing program in Albury schools delivered had been going well. "There's been great uptake, particularly in the high schools," she said.

"So far we haven't had any positive RAT tests but I really don't want parents to panic if they do get a positive RAT test, but they do need to come forward and have that [PCR test] swab."

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