Australia-US nuclear submarine deal to combat China, NSW records 1,351 new COVID-19 cases as Lismore and Albury re-locks, Victoria records 514 cases before lockdowns are eased slightly

Victorian health officials have warned of COVID-19 sewage detections in the regional cities of Ballarat and Wangaratta, as well as in the Latrobe Valley in the east of the state.

The Chief Health Officer’s update posted Thursday evening said there were “repeated unexpected discoveries” in Ballarat East between Sunday September 12 and Wednesday September 15.

Ballarat residents began their first day of a week-long lockdown on Thursday.Credit:Penny Stephens

The unexpected discoveries in this area took place in suburbs such as Ballarat East, Ballarat North, Bakery Hill, Black Hill, Brown Hill, Buninyong, Canadian, Eureka, Golden Point, Mt Clear, Mt Helen, Invermay Park, Wendouree, Lake Wendouree, and Warrenheip .

Ballarat residents began their first day of a week-long lockdown on Thursday when the number of positive cases in the city rose from about 100,000 to six.

Victorian health officials identified a number of new level 2 COVID-19 exposure sites in Ballarat Thursday evening, including a pharmacy and butcher.

The period of interest to Wangaratta and the surrounding area was between Sunday September 12th and Tuesday September 14th, with discoveries in suburbs such as Wangaratta, East Wangaratta, North Wangaratta, Wangaratta South, Laceby, Milawa, Oxley, Waldara and Wangandary.

For the Moe area of ​​the Latrobe Valley, the period of interest was Monday, September 13 through Tuesday, September 14, with authorities marking discoveries not only in Moe but also in Newborough, Trafalgar, Yallourn and Yarragon. The Moe discoveries came after the Gippsland area public health unit on Thursday urged the community to remain vigilant and get tested for COVID-19.

“Primary close contacts who have had a test and received a negative result should be retested if they are symptomatic,” the health department said in a statement.

The Victorian government announced Thursday that support for businesses in the regional areas of the state will continue through September.

Businesses eligible under the Business Costs Assistance Program and Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund would continue to receive payments from them for the last two weeks of the month, whether they are in locked Ballarat or the greater Melbourne area.

Approximately 2,300 eligible cafes, restaurants, hotels and bars in regional areas would continue to receive payments from the Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund.