A sex worker from Melbourne's southeast went missing for hours after testing positive for COVID-19, as health authorities prepared to interview her.
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The St Kilda woman, who is homeless, presented to an emergency department earlier this week where she returned a positive test for coronavirus.
A close contact also tested positive and both have been moved into quarantine. It is still not known how the duo contracted the virus.
Victoria's COVID-19 Commander Jeroen Weimar confirmed on Friday there was a short window when contact tracers did not know where the woman had gone.
"One of those individuals did go AWOL for little time but came back to the ED (emergency department) and since then has been securely cared for," he told reporters.
Mr Weimar allayed fears her absence would lead to further exposure sites, assuring the public authorities knew where she had been in those "short hours".
He expressed sympathy for the sex worker, saying it was understandable some infected people found it difficult to divulge intimate details to contact tracers.
"No one wants to be COVID-positive. No one wants to be in a situation where suddenly the lights are all upon you and you're asked to explain what you've been doing and where you've been," he said.
"It's incredibly distressing and you have a dangerous illness. It's a bad place to be."
Jenny Jackson, chief operating officer of Star Health, said sex workers had been disproportionately affected by the state's six coronavirus lockdowns.
"The pandemic has shone a light on that casualised workforce. It is one of the industries that have been really hard hit," she told AAP.
The statewide service runs a program called RhED to provide health, safety and legal information for Victorian sex workers, breaking down barriers and stigma they often face.
"This othering of any particular industry is unhelpful and it isn't how we work," Ms Jackson said.
"Everyone's entitled to the same rights and access to services."
The St Kilda woman is among four cases linked to the Fitzroy Street, St Kilda outbreak, with a further two infections announced on Friday.
Four more cases also emerged from an illegal engagement party in Caulfield North last week. That outbreak, known as the St Kilda East cluster, has infected 11 people.
With over 20 exposure sites in St Kilda alone, authorities want anyone in the area to come forward for testing regardless of whether they have symptoms.
Ms Jackson said Star Health has stood up a vaccination and testing site in St Kilda in partnership with the health department to ensure vulnerable people did not fall through the cracks.
"There is nothing half-hearted about the response to the outbreaks at all," she said.
Australian Associated Press
