July 25, 2.20pm
A major testing operation is among the main priorities of Colac’s coronavirus incident control team during the next 48 hours.
The Health Department established an Incident Control Centre in Colac yesterday to manage the city’s COVID-19 outbreak.
Colac Fire Rescue Victoria commander Mark Gunning is one of the professionals leading the team, following a stint helping co-ordinate the State Government’s response to public housing tower outbreaks in Melbourne.
Mr Gunning told the Colac Herald today that the spike in COVID cases in the city since July 17 had led to the control centre’s set up.
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Where To Buy“What’s happened is, obviously a week ago we had one case in Colac, and now we’re a bit over a week later and we’ve got between 40 and 50 cases,” he said.
“Colac Area Health and Colac Otway Shire Council have been doing some really, really fantastic work.
“But they need support.”
The Department of Health and Human Services is the leading agency. They are being supported by the Australian Defence Force, Colac Area Health, Colac Otway Shire Council, CFA, Victoria Police, SES, DELWP, Timboon Health and the Department of Education.
Mr Gunning said ALC was also a vital contributor to roundtable discussions.
“(ALC’s involvement) is really important because they have got great connection with their employee group, they’ve done some amazing work,” he said.
Mr Gunning also provided further details about ADF personnel’s role in the city; to support a major testing operation which is among the ICT’s priorities in the next 48 hours.
“They’ve currently got what’s called a forward reconnaissance team in the city. They’ve been working with Colac Area Health especially,” he said.
“On Monday we have to do around 800 retests, and that will be a major operation. So the ADF are going to send in between 12 and 20 medical personnel, and some general soldiers to assist with what will be a really big logistical operation in doing that.
“(Over the coming days the ICC’s priority is) to support the people that have currently tested positive, to make sure we support those people and give them good information, and to set up the logistics of the testing operation,” Mr Gunning said.