Victoria records six new local Covid-19 cases as authorities probe mystery case

Dan Andrews has again urged NSW to heed his advice to fight Sydney’s worsening Covid outbreak, saying it worked for his state.

Dan Andrews has again urged the NSW government to listen to his advice to fight Sydney’s spiralling Covid outbreak, saying “it worked” against Victoria’s deadly second wave.

The Victorian Premier has repeatedly urged NSW health authorities to impose a “ring of steel” around Sydney, and even look at imposing a curfew.

Mr Andrews’ advice has fallen on deaf ears so far as the Sydney outbreak continues to worsen, with the NSW announcing a record high of 239 local cases on Thursday.

He urged NSW to take his recommendations on board as the outbreak was not just a Sydney problem, but a national problem.

“This is not an academic thing, I’m asking for something that we did, and it worked,” Mr Andrews said on Thursday.

“Now, I can only ask. The points that have been made around Sydney is about trying to keep the virus where it is now not have it not having spread.

“There’s a difference of opinion, I’ve made our position very clear.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews again urged NSW to heed his advice. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Paul Jeffers

“All I’m doing is telling others what worked here and it’s through painful, tragic, bitter experience that we are able to advise what actually works,” he said earlier this week.

“The NSW government have a different view.

“I would respectfully say to the NSW government you’re not just making decisions for NSW, you’re making decisions for the whole country.”

It comes as Victoria has recorded six new locally acquired Covid-19 cases on Thursday as the state enjoyed its second day of freedom from a fifth lockdown.

The health department confirmed seven new local cases about 8.30am, but one – a mystery case – was previously announced on Wednesday.

The health department said all new cases bar the mystery case were linked to existing outbreaks and all except one were in isolation for their entire infectious period.

The mystery case was a traffic controller at a Covid-19 testing site (file image). Picture: NCA NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw

The mystery case worked as a traffic controller at a drive-through testing site at Moonee Valley racecourse in Melbourne’s northwest and returned a positive result on Wednesday morning.

Health authorities are still trying to trace how the man acquired Covid-19, with the testing site a key area of focus.

Mr Andrews said the mystery case was “obviously a concern” and genomic sequencing data was due back on Thursday, which would hopefully provide contact tracers with the answers.

The testing site was closed for deep cleaning with the health department intending to reopen the clinic on Thursday.

The positive case worked two shifts while infectious and all staff at the now-closed site during that time had been sent home to isolate.

Acting chief health officer Ben Cowie said authorities were “not absolutely certain” where the man acquired the virus.

Acting chief health officer Ben Cowie said authorities were not certain where the man acquired the virus. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Sarah Matray

“We’re taking a very precautionary approach in furloughing and testing a number of staff and really investigating whether this was indeed an occupational exposure or an exposure in the community,” he said.

“All of those options are being further investigated.”

Acting Covid-19 commander Naomi Bromley said the man also visited his partner in Newport, with people living in the same low rise apartment complex being tested on Thursday.

She said several members of the man’s household and his close social circle had already returned negative test results, which was “very encouraging”.

Victoria’s chief health officer Brett Sutton said the mystery case illustrated the state was not “risk free” and reinforced how infectious the Delta strain was.

“It’s not over, there will be ongoing risks and there will be ongoing potential for incursion into Victoria,” he said.

Victoria's chief health officer Brett Sutton said the state was not risk free yet. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw

Victoria has recorded 204 cases linked to the two outbreaks that jumped the border from Sydney’s deadly Delta cluster – one from a team of Sydney removalists who transited through the state and the other from a family who returned to Melbourne’s north from a NSW red zone.

More than 20,000 primary close contacts have been identified during the state’s latest outbreak, with at least 11,000 of those cleared from isolation so far.

No new cases were recorded in returned travellers in hotel quarantine, with the number of active cases in Victoria at 205 — down from 206 on Monday.

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Originally published as Victoria records six new local Covid-19 cases as authorities probe mystery case