HORSHAM'S COVID-19 clinic has recorded no new diagnoses in at least a week, but it is too early to lift restrictions, experts have warned.
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Wimmera Base Hospital acting director of medical services Grant Phelps said it was still imperative people stayed at home to slow the spread of coronavirus.
It comes as one of the Wimmera's recovered COVID-19 patients speaks out about poor treatment by certain people in the community.
The man is one of three positive cases diagnosed in the Horsham Rural City. All three people have since recovered.
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The Wimmera man, who wished to remain anonymous, said he was cleared of the virus earlier this month.
He said despite following isolation orders since returning from overseas, he had been subjected to vigilante behaviour from uninformed people.
"I received a very serious phone call because someone had provided a false anonymous tip-off that I was driving around with people in my ute while in isolation," he said.
In another incident, a member of his staff was initially denied a service because that business had been falsely told the staff member had interacted with the unwell man.
"It is very disappointing behaviour from some people," the man said.
The man said despite the negative interactions, a number of people had also reached out to check he was coping throughout the ordeal.
Wimmera Health Care Group has urged people to show kindness to people with COVID-19 and welcome them back into daily life after they are cleared of the virus.
Infection control co-ordinator Rachel Baker said all positive cases in the region had done the right thing.
"They came back from overseas and isolated, then presented for testing after showing symptoms and isolated again until they were cleared," she said.
"Once a COVID-19 patient is cleared, they are no longer a risk to the community.
"In fact, they are less a risk than someone who has not yet had the virus so please treat them with kindness and understanding."
The Wimmera man remains in isolation.
"I just want to be extra careful and I also want people to understand that those of us who have tested positive know how serious this is," he said.
"We don't deserve to be treated poorly because it wasn't our fault that we got it."
Dr Phelps said it was important people continued to follow social distancing measures until they were told otherwise.
"I agree entirely with the nation's leaders on this," he said. "We need to keep going."
His message to people thinking about ignoring social distancing measures was: "Please don't".
"The message we've been putting out consistently is: stay at home, wash your hands, get a flu vaccination," he said.
Overall he said he was pleased with the Wimmera's response to the isolation orders.
"We're really pleased with what the community's done so far. They've done a terrific job."
There have been nine confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Wimmera since the pandemic began.
Horsham had its coronavirus case confirmed on March 28, and its second a few days later.
Its third case was recorded on April 8.
There have also been three cases in the Northern Grampians, one case in West Wimmera, one in Ararat and one in Yarriambiack.
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