Bendigo pair isolating after possible COVID-19 exposure

They tested negative last night, Bendigo Health chief executive Peter Faulkner said.

"They were just travelling back from somewhere, stayed at or visited a location and there was a positive case there," he said.

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Mr Faulkner said the couple had no direct connection with the COVID-positive case.

They had been asked to isolate as a precaution and Mr Faulkner said the risk of them contracting the virus is minimal.

"It is a low risk exposure site but those people did the right thing," he said.

The pair have also been thanked by health minister Martin Foley on behalf of the Victorian government for their efforts to get in touch with authorities.

New South Wales health authorities notified Bendigo Health about the possible exposure on Wednesday night, following news that a separate Victorian pair left lockdown and travelled north recently, potentially spreading the virus.

Meanwhile, Victorian authorities last night notified the health service that viral fragments had been detected in suburbs across Bendigo's north.

The Department of Health is urging residents of and recent visitors between June 3 and 7 to California Gully, Eaglehawk, Epsom, Huntly, Jackass Flat, Maiden Gully, Marong, North Bendigo and Sailors Gully to monitor for symptoms of COVID-19

They should get tested if any symptoms develop, the department said.

The wastewater detections do not appear to be linked with either the pair currently in isolation or any other people caught up in recent Victorian outbreaks, Mr Faulkner said.

"Our public health team immediately went into action to make certain that all known cases - and past cases if there were any - in those post codes have been followed up," he said.

"What we do know is that we have been unable to identify any cases of past exposure or COVID-exposure in those communities, so we can only assume that someone - probably post isolation - has visited the area."

Mr Faulkner said people in Bendigo should not be concerned but should keep getting tested if they developed symptoms.

It is too early to say whether the news of wastewater detections will trigger a new surge in testing across the Bendigo area.

"But we would welcome it," Mr Faulkner said.

"We have put additional resources in place, thinking that there may be a surge."

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