And testing, in general, has roughly tripled since last week.

It comes as an outbreak of the virus in New South Wales exceeds 80 cases. The state today confirmed 15 new infections.

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Bendigo Health chair Bob Cameron said 170 people sought COVID-19 testing in Bendigo yesterday.

"If you go back a week or so ago we were doing about 50 to 60 tests a day," he said.

A total of 184 people who had been in New South Wales had presented for testing since mid last week.

Mr Cameron said some of those people would have come directly from QantasLink flights between Bendigo and Sydney, which resumed on December 7.

He said some might have come from other flights landing in Melbourne, or arrived via the region's roads.

Passengers arriving in Bendigo from Sydney on Friday were screened at the airport.

They were given the option of being swabbed, then and there, which none of the passengers took up.

But Mr Cameron said many came and got tested on their way home.

"Of course, circumstances have changed since then," he said.

Testing would not have been optional for today's arrivals in Bendigo, and mandatory quarantine starts tomorrow.

Fewer than 10 people are believed to have landed in Bendigo from Sydney today, and less than 20 people are understood to have flown from Bendigo to Sydney.

Qantas has yet to make any chances to its services between the two cities.

Flights are scheduled to arrive and depart from Bendigo Airport tomorrow.

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"We've yet to hear from the Department of Health as to what the arrangements will be in that case for Bendigo," Mr Cameron said.

"If there is something that is to occur the department will send us those instructions today."

The Department of Health and Human Services is believed to be considering detaining any passengers who arrive at Bendigo Airport from a New South Wales red zone or hot zone and contacting COVID-19 Quarantine Victoria.

COVID-19 Quarantine Victoria would then collect the passengers and take them to mandatory quarantine in Melbourne.

Mr Cameron said there were a number of reasons why COVID-19 testing in Bendigo had generally increased in the past week.

They included increased awareness due to COVID-19 fragments being detected in Castlemaine's wastewater.

Bendigo Health on Friday urged the region's residents to remain vigilant.

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City of Greater Bendigo tourism and major events manager Terry Karamaloudis expected the travel restrictions would affect the number of visitors to the region over summer and the festive season.

"But most of our domestic visitors come from within Victoria and Melbourne, so we hope to still see strong numbers over the coming weeks," Mr Karamaloudis said.

"We urge everyone to act responsibly and be COVID-safe over Christmas and the summer period so that we can continue to remain open to visitors next year."

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