Wagga people are being encouraged to come forward for coronavirus testing if they are displaying even mild symptoms.
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Lenert Bruce, the Murrumbidgee Local Health District's executive director of medical services, said while it was good news that there had once again been no new cases of COVID-19 reported in the Murrumbidgee overnight, there had been a worrying drop in the number of people seeking testing.
"We really want to encourage the community that if you have any symptoms like fever, coughing, sore throat, general fatigue or muscle ache or shortness of breath that you call our COVID-19 hotline and arrange to have the test done," Dr Bruce said.
"The way you are going to keep yourself, your family and the rest of the community safe is by having a test done, so that if you do have COVID-19 we can make sure that you isolate appropriately and, more importantly, that we can care for you.
"We do know that sometimes people do have very mild disease in the initial part of the illness, but then become unwell at day six to 10 and it's really very important that we can admit you to our virtual service and check up on you every day and should you require any further care that we can provide it to you."
Dr Bruce said there was no shortage of tests in the Murrumbidgee region and that it was really important people were tested now.
"It is more dangerous for people not to be tested and be infecting the rest of the community than actually having the test," he said.
"The problem with COVID disease is that 80 per cent of people have very mild symptoms and some people have extremely mild symptoms that you wouldn't think anything of it. The problem is that group can actually transmit the virus to vulnerable people who will become very unwell."
The father of three young children encouraged the community to stick to the social distancing guidelines over the Easter period.
"The Prime Minister is absolutely correct. If we do not follow the social distancing, we will undo all the good work we have done in the last two, three, four weeks," he said.
"It's tough, but we need to stick together to make sure we protect lives in Australia, protect our families and our community."
The MLHD COVID-19 hotline is open seven days a week, from 7am to 9pm. The number to call for assessment is 1800 831 099.
