MEMBER for Mildura Ali Cupper has stepped up her push to allow anyone who has recently had Melbourne visitors – or visited the city – be eligible to take a COVID-19 test regardless of whether they have symptoms or not.

Ms Cupper said the confirmed case of COVID-19 in the Swan Hill local government area, as well as a growing number of cases in regional Victoria, meant the COVID-19 testing criteria needed to change.

Currently, only people who have symptoms are able to take a test.

“It is clear there have been a lot of people travel to our region during the school holidays from the greater Melbourne region,” Ms Cupper said.

“The Victorian Government’s tight lockdown of Melbourne last week will help minimise the risk of community transmission into regional Victoria, but we have to be sure that has not already happened.

“Given many people can be asymptomatic, or be infectious for up to two days before showing symptoms, the best way of ensuring the safety of our community is to widen the testing criteria.”

On Monday, there were confirmed COVID-19 cases listed in the local government areas of Swan Hill, Warrnambool, Greater Shepparton, Greater Bendigo (2), South Gippsland, Baw Baw (3), East Gippsland and Greater Geelong (5).

“I have today written to Minister for Health Jenny Mikakos and been in touch with the Premier’s office to press the case for extended testing,” Ms Cupper said.

“I will continue to push for this measure, but in the meantime I want to remind everyone to continue to be vigilant and exercise all the measures needed to mitigate spread of the virus – social distancing, good personal hygiene and hand-washing.

“As an abundance of caution, I would also urge anyone who has been to Melbourne recently, or has had visitors from Melbourne, to consider wearing a face mask in public if they are unable to social distance.”