The essential worker has tested positive for COVID and was in Wagga from August 30 to September 3 and in Young from September 3 to September 7.

The Murrumbidgee Local Health District's executive director of medical services Dr Len Bruce said work is under way to determine locations of concern in the two Riverina towns.

"Our public health unit is hard at work doing contact tracing ... and as the information becomes available that will be shared with the media and the community," Dr Bruce said.

"The good news for us is we were still in lockdown at the time so their ability to interact with other members of the community would have been very limited."

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Wagga mayor Greg Conkey said he understands the worker tested negative for COVID while in Wagga, but admitted he still had major concerns.

"I'm very nervous about the situation as far as Wagga is concerned," Cr Conkey said.

"Wagga has just come out of lockdown and I'm concerned obviously if there are cases here we will have to go back into lockdown which will have a devastating effect on the economy of this city,

Dr Bruce urged community members to get a COVID test if they have any concern whatsoever.

"If you are in doubt go and have a test done and the results will come back quickly," he said.

"That is the way for us to make sure we don't have community spread."

The announcement comes just one day after COVID fragments were detected in the sewage at Young.

Two Albury residents have also tested positive for COVID, bringing an end to the MLHD's run of more than a year without a positive case.

One of the residents is currently self-isolating in Albury while the other is receiving treatment in Victoria.

Both cases are being investigated and contact tracing is under way.

NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro has previously said if a case emerges in a local government area it will be subject to stay-at-home rules.

Dr Bruce did not confirm whether or not this will be the case for the Albury LGA.

"I'll leave that to the public health unit," he said.

"They'll do the contact tracing for the patients and see if they were infectious but the one thing we can do is we can get the vaccination rates up."

"It makes a big difference if people are vaccinated as it reduces your risk of contracting COVID and it reduces your ability to infect other people."

Wagga MP Dr Joe McGirr said the newly-announced cases showcase how easily an outbreak could emerge in the Riverina.

"It just highlights how vulnerable we are," Dr McGirr said.

"I'm hopeful that because we were in lockdown at the time, [they] won't have infected anyone."

"What if that person had turned up today? It shows we're just that one step away from getting an outbreak."

Dr McGirr said he expects Albury to be placed under lockdown following their two cases.

He also urged the Wagga community to "remain vigilant" and to continue getting vaccinated.

"The bottom line is restrictions have been lifted and certain activities are allowed but there are still requirements people have to comply with," he said.

"But above all we just have to keep pushing that vaccination target."

COVID tests are available in Wagga at the Equex Centre drive through clinic or at the Murray Street testing clinic.

In Young, testing is available at the GP-led Respiratory Clinic, 12 Boorowa Street (Wednesday - Friday). Call 02 6382 1599 to make a booking or book online at hotdoc.com.au.

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