The queue for a COVID-19 test at Normanby Street in South Melbourne on Wednesday.Credit:Paul Jeffers
Coronavirus is still smouldering away in Victoria, infectious diseases experts suspect, as plummeting testing numbers fuel fears of undetected cases circulating in the community.
Melbourne infectious diseases physician Michelle Ananda-Rajah said until vaccine uptake rose substantially, testing remained the most critical measure in Victoria alongside contact tracing to avoid another mass outbreak, but she feared “coronavirus fatigue” was leading to a drop in testing numbers.
“Victoria is a powder keg that could blow at any time,” Dr Ananda-Rajah said. “Right now, we are primed for a third wave because we are largely unvaccinated against the disease. Winter is here and we know infections go up at this time. On top of this, we’ve got more transmissible variants of the virus in the mix.”
COVID response commander Jeroen Weimar said health authorities remain extremely concerned the virus was still circulating after a vaccinated nurse had tested positive and may have been infectious while working at Epping Private Hospital on June 14. “There is a full, instant response team working through the circumstances,” he said on Wednesday.
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