Coronavirus in Ballarat: Testing, vaccine demand jumps locally amid Melbourne COVID outbreak

The COVID-19 testing clinic was fully booked on Tuesday with UFS increasing staffing to add extra capacity to ensure there are testing appointments available Wednesday for anyone showing symptoms or been in the affected parts of Melbourne.

Bookings for COVID-19 vaccinations through the UFS vaccination clinic remained steady, while at the Ballarat Health Services Vaccination Clinic at the Mercure, the outbreak prompted an increase in people seeking the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Late Tuesday, the City of Whittlesea outbreak rose to nine cases with four new infections detected who have all been confirmed as family contacts of the fifth case, a man aged in his 60s who developed symptoms on May 17 and was tested on Monday.

Genomic sequencing confirmed the virus strain detected in the four new cases matches the strain of a case in Wollert earlier this month, who contracted the virus in hotel quarantine in South Australia.

The outbreak, which broke the state's run of 86 days without a case of community transmission, has prompted the reintroduction of restrictions in Melbourne.

From 6pm Tuesday in metropolitan Melbourne, private gatherings in the home are limited to five visitors per day, public gatherings limited to 30 people and face masks must be worn indoors unless an exemption applies.

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"This is about giving our contact tracers the time that they need to track this matter down and get on top of it," said acting premier James Merlino.

BHS urged anyone wanting to make a booking to receive the vaccine to call 1800 675 398 to make an appointment and that people attending the clinic without a booking might experience wait times.

For more information on the Victorian public exposure sites visit www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/exposure-sites.

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