Six coronavirus-pending patients awaiting test results in Warrnambool hospital

It's been three weeks since a positive coronavirus test has been confirmed in the city, with the sixth case confirmed at the South West Healthcare screening clinic on March 24.

South West Healthcare chief executive Craig Fraser praised local residents for doing the right thing by staying at home over Easter as health authorities race to stop 52 separate coronavirus clusters now spreading through Victoria.

"This is not a time to stop, or relax. We need to remain vigilant. Physical distancing is absolutely vital. We know that if we get local transmission of cases, things go from great to bad really quickly," he said.

"We've been successful in decreasing the number of cases of coronavirus coming from overseas due to reduced international travel and quarantine measures.

"No-one who's presented at any Warrnambool screening clinic has tested positive to coronavirus since our sixth confirmed case on March 24. Those six had all recently returned from overseas.

"Now we need to focus on finding anyone who hasn't been overseas recently yet, unknowingly, has the virus. This expanded screening initiative will go a long way towards further protecting our communities."

The total number of coronavirus cases in Victoria is 1,291 - an increase of 10 from yesterday, as testing for the virus expands in Victoria.

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There were no new deaths reported yesterday. To date, 14 people have died from coronavirus in Victoria.

The total number of cases is made up of 672 men and 619 women, with people aged from babies to their early nineties.

There are 122 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Victoria that may have been acquired through community transmission. Currently 40 people are in hospital, including 15 patients in intensive care. 1118 people have recovered.

More than 71,000 Victorians have been tested to date.

Of the total 1291 cases, there have been 1029 in metropolitan Melbourne and 236 in regional Victoria. Several cases remain under investigation.

Testing will now be based only on the clinical symptoms of COVID-19, regardless of age or occupation.

These symptoms include any new fever, chills or breathing problems, specifically cough, sore throat or shortness of breath.

Only people in the general community with these symptoms will be eligible for testing.

There are currently two positive cases in the Southern Grampians Shire, one in Corangamite Shire, one in Moyne Shire and five in Warrnambool City.

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