Geelong’s first novel coronavirus case has been confirmed by the health department, after a young woman who recently returned from the US was diagnosed with COVID-19.

Authorities are warning shoppers to be vigilant, following the woman in her 20s working two shifts at a Waurn Ponds supermarket after becoming unwell.

The woman recently travelled to multiple locations in the United States.

media_camera Waurn Ponds Shopping Centre worker contracts coronavirus.

She acquired the virus in the US and became unwell on February 29, the day she flew back to Melbourne.

The woman worked two shifts at Coles Waurn Ponds over the long weekend before being diagnosed with novel coronavirus earlier this week.

Contact tracing by the health department has deemed the supermarket, between the hours of 8.45am and 5pm on Friday, March 6 and 1pm and 6pm on Saturday, March 7, a public exposure site.

People who visited Coles Waurn Ponds during those hours should be aware of COVID-19 signs and symptoms and inform their doctor they visited the site if they feel unwell.

However, the risk of transmission for customers was very low, a DHHS spokesman said.

The spokesman said the department had been working closely with Coles to identify possible close contacts and provide information and support.

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media_camera A Coles worker at Waurn Ponds Shopping Centre has contracted coronavirus. Picture: Karen Dodd

The Department of Health defines “close contact” as face to face contact for at least

15 minutes or being in the same closed space for at least 2 hours, with someone who

has tested positive for the COVID-19 when that person was infectious.

Coles issued a statement saying the Department of Health “does not hold any concerns regarding risks to customers or team members”.

“Coles immediately performed an extensive clean of the supermarket in line with recommendations from the Department of Health and will conduct further cleaning overnight as an additional precautionary measure,” the statement read.

As a food retailer, Coles already has very high standards in place for the cleanliness of our stores. We have reinforced current cleaning and hygiene guidelines with all our team members and are following our food safety plans.

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media_camera University Hospital Geelong (Geelong Hospital) has established a coronavirus isolation wing. Picture: Alan Barber

The safety of our team members and customers is our number one priority and Coles is working closely with the Department of Health and relevant health authorities to keep up to date with the latest advice.”

The woman is the state’s 20th confirmed coronavirus case, and was one of three confirmed cases in Victoria announced Wednesday

She was aboard UA0600 from San Francisco.

The health department was contacting her close contacts, who will self-isolate for 14 days.

Two others from the same flight have in recent days been confirmed as having coronavirus, including infected Melbourne doctor Chris Higgins.

Several people who flew from the US to Australia from late last month have in recent days been confirmed as having COVID-19.

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