Protester, childcare centres part of Victoria’s positive coronavirus cases
A protester who attended the Black Lives Matter rally may have contracted the virus at the protest, and worked two shifts at Northland H&M while potentially infectious. It comes as the state recorded a worrying new spike of coronavirus cases, including two at childcare centres.
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Victoria has recorded 18 new cases of coronavirus overnight, including a third protester from the Black Lives Matter rally.
The state’s deputy chief health officer said it was possible the protester, a man in his 20s, had acquired the virus at the protest, however no link had been identified between the case and other previously reported cases.
“This case was not infectious at the protest,” Dr Annaliese Van Dieman said.
“It is possible that they acquired their illness at the protest, however, they were wearing a mask and did attend a number of other locations during their acquisition period.
“It will probably be impossible to tell where they actually acquired their infection.”
Dr Van Dieman said the full impact of the protest on coronavirus case numbers would soon be known.
“Given the time frame since the protest, it’s now been almost two weeks, we’re getting to the end of the incubation period,” she said.
“So assuming people do get tested as soon as they become symptomatic, we would hope there wouldn’t be any or many more cases linked to the protest.”
Health minister Jenny Mikakos said today the protester was not infectious at the protest.
But they did work two shifts at the H&M store at Northland last week.
The store will be closed today for cleaning.
EIGHT CASES DETECTED THROUGH ROUTINE TESTING
Eight cases were discovered through routine testing, with a further six detected in returned overseas travellers, three under investigation and one linked to an existing outbreak.
The routinely detected cases include two in childcare centres, one in Pakenham and one in South Yarra. Both centres will be closed today for a deep clean and contact tracing.
The case is in a child who attended the Guardian Childcare Centre in South Yarra, while the other was in a staff member at The Learning Sanctuary Pakenham. Both facilities have closed for deep cleaning.
Among the cases detected through routine testing, one was in a healthcare worker who worked at the Victorian Rehabilitation Centre in Glen Waverley while infectious, while another was in a social worker.
These two cases bring the number of healthcare workers who have contracted the virus to 194.
A further case has been detected as a household contact of a GP who tested positive to coronavirus last week, bringing the total number of cases in this outbreak to five.
There are currently 81 active cases across the state, a significant increase since last week.
Health Minister Jenny Mikakos said the spike in cases was concerning, with fears not all cases could be traced.
“Obviously I’m concerned about the increasing number of cases in the past few days,” she said.
“Clearly we do have community transmission in Victoria. And I just want to reiterate the message to Victorians: Take this issue seriously.”
Ms Mikakos said the government was reviewing the easing of restrictions daily.
“We’ve been taking a very cautious gradual approach to the easing of restrictions, right from the outset as you would expect with a very contagious virus,” she said.
“We have erred on the side of being very careful in terms of how we manage this issue, we are reviewing the numbers and how are we trending.
“This is not all over. We still have this pandemic. It’s still possible to catch this virus whether you’re going to the local shops or having dinner with extended family members.”
Ms Mikakos said the planned restriction changes for Monday would be proceeding.
Premier Daniel Andrews said there were no current plans to slow the easing of restrictions.
“But they are reviewed each and every day that’s why people adhering to the social distancing, people continuing to take this seriously is very, very important,” he said.
“Today’s numbers, yesterday’s numbers, are a timely reminder, if anyone needed that, that this is far from over.”
– Shannon Deery
NORTHLAND H&M CLOSED FOR CLEANING AFTER POSITIVE CASE
An H&M store at Northland has been closed due to a confirmed case of COVID-19.
The state’s deputy chief health officer said
“The protester worked at H&M in Northland shopping centre during their acquisition and infection period,” Dr Van Dieman said.
“That store is closed for cleaning today and a number of contacts are being quarantined who work at the store as well.”
A sign out the front of the store confirms the case.
The sign reads: “Our store is currently closed for cleaning following a confirmed case of COVID-19”
“Our priority is to ensure the safety of our customers and team members.
“We apologise for any inconvenience.”
The sign says the store will re-open on Saturday June 20.
An anonymous retailer said she’s “not surprised” but described the ordeal as “scary”.
“I’m definitely concerned it may impact foot traffic,” she said.
Another retailer was just made aware of the news and was concerned due to it being in proximity with their store.
“Yeah it makes me nervous because it’s so close to home,” the retailer says.
“I guess from a business perspective once the word gets out it may impact our numbers.”
A shopper who preferred to stay anonymous said it “doesn’t worry them too much” and the “risk is still the same if you get on public transport and go to work”.
While another shopper said “she will be going home” after just finding out about the news.
“I’m a bit scared now,” a shopper said.
Some shoppers have been stopping out the front of the store to read the sign.
– Nick D’Urbano
AUSTRALIA’S UNEMPLOYMENT RATE JUMPS
Scott Morrison is itching to unlock interstate travel as new figures show border closures are costing nearly 5000 jobs a week and $84 million a day.
Australia’s unemployment rose to 7.1 per cent in May as another 227,000 people lost their jobs.
The latest jobless figures are the worst since October 2001, and would be far more grim were it not for another big fall in workforce participation.
The prime minister describes the unemployment rate as heartbreaking and warns there is a long way to go as the country recovers from the coronavirus pandemic.
“This recession will be written in the stories of those who are experiencing terrible hardship,” he told reporters in Canberra.
“These are our dark times, but I can see that ray of light, and I’m sure Australians can see that too, but we have to keep moving towards it and work harder each and every day.”
Read the full story here.
BUSINESSES CONSIDER MOVING AS RESTRICTIONS REMAIN ON HOLD
Spending in some parts of the economy is still down as much as 60 per cent on normal levels as Victorian businesses threaten to move interstate if coronavirus restrictions are not eased.
Treasury analysis of credit card usage, obtained by the Herald Sun, shows accommodation spending fell 90 per cent at the height of the pandemic compared to last year and is still 60 per cent down.
Restaurants, cafes and other venues are now seeing customer spending 25 per cent below the same time last year — after a 65 per cent decline — while clothing and department store sales are almost back to normal.
Ahead of the release of the latest unemployment data today, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said there were “encouraging signs” for the economy.
“There are now initial signs the economy is on the road to recovery,” he said. “It will take time with some sectors recovering faster than others.”
The Andrews Government is yet to outline when it will move to the third stage of the National Cabinet’s plan to ease restrictions. The Herald Sun can reveal it is forecast to get 81,645 people back to work and boost the state’s economy by $771 million a month.
The Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Australian Industry Group are combining to force the Andrews Government to get Victoria’s economy moving, warning businesses will otherwise relocate or shut down.
They want a transport plan to get workers into the CBD, hospitality businesses to operate without patron caps as long as social distancing is maintained, and for regional businesses to be allowed to reopen.
“Businesses are worried, and they should be,” VECCI chief Paul Guerra said. “While they once had signposts for reopening to plan towards, they are now left wondering when they can operate like their interstate counterparts.
“By imposing overly restrictive blanket rules across our economy, the Victorian Government is showing a lack of trust in our businesses.”
Australian Industry Group Group state boss Tim Piper said a staged plan was needed to allow workers to return to businesses, with suburban and regional areas prioritised given their reduced reliance on public transport.
TREASURY ANALYSIS SHOWS
Clothing and department stores
• Crashed by 80 per cent at height of shutdown
• Bounced back to nearly same level as this time last year
Restaurants and bars
• Dropped about 65 per cent in April
• Still down 25 per cent
Accommodation
• Down 10 per cent in January due to bushfires
• Plummeted 90 per cent by mid-April
• Remains at 60 per cent less than usual due to prolonged border closures
ANDREWS’ BORDER JAB SPARKS BACKLASH
A cross-border coronavirus war of words erupted as Victoria’s daily infections surged beyond 20 for the first time in a month.
Premier Daniel Andrews drew heated reaction after yesterday questioning why anyone would want to go to South Australia.
SA Premier Steven Marshall yesterday reopened his state’s borders to travellers from WA, the Northern Territory and Tasmania, but not Victoria. Mr Andrews encouraged Victorians to holiday at home anyway.
“I don’t want to be offensive to South Australians, but why would you want to go there?” he asked. “Holiday here … go skiing, go to the wine country, go to the beach …”
Mr Marshall responded by tweeting: “Well Dan, here’s why.” He attached an SA tourism video. Federal Trade Minister Simon Birmingham, who lives in South Australia, also fired back, calling Mr Andrews’ comments a “desperate distraction” from his party’s branch-stacking scandal.
Victoria has had to pay to quarantine hundreds of South Australians returning from overseas via Melbourne.
At least seven South Australian residents have tested positive to COVID-19 while in Melbourne quarantine. People who arrive in Melbourne and who go into quarantine here are included in Victoria’s tally if they test positive.
Between June 1 and 16, Victorians have also had to pay for 199 South Australians to spend 14 days in Melbourne hotels.
Overall, 16,762 international arrivals have been housed in Victoria’s hotels since the mandatory quarantine measures were introduced on March 28. About 30 per cent reside in other states.
Revealing details of 21 new Victorian coronavirus cases yesterday, including 15 among returned travellers in hotel quarantine, Victorian Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton called for such cases not to be recorded against any particular state.
“Victoria has always hosted a significant proportion who are interstate residents because they fly into Victoria,” he said. “We are all in it together, we have to do things for our interstate counterparts to manage nationwide risk.”
The number of staff infected while overseeing quarantine hotels increased to 16 yesterday, prompting a review of safety protocols.
Yesterday’s surge in cases — particularly six instances of community transmission — may also delay the return to work date for hundreds of thousands of Victorians.
VICTORIANS TURN TO FOOD RELIEF SERVICES
STRATHMORE STUDENT NOT LINKED TO ANY KNOWN OUTBREAKS
INSIDE LYGON STREET’S FIGHT TO SURVIVE LOCKDOWN
Originally published as Protester, childcare centres part of Victoria’s positive coronavirus cases