Geelong records 28 new Covid cases, nine not linked to current outbreaks

Geelong has recorded 28 new Covid cases, with nine still under investigation, as more Geelong schools were forced to close their gates yesterday.

Greater Geelong has recorded 28 new Covid cases.

Victoria’s Covid commander Jeroen Weimar said 19 had been firmly linked and there were ongoing investigations around the other nine.

He said there were also a number of isolated cases along the Surf Coast which had been linked.

It comes as the health department listed Ultimate Geelong Muay Thai – Everlasting Gym, at

1 Victoria Street, South Geelong as a tier one exposure site on October 7 between 6.15pm and 8pm.

Anyone at the location in that time frame must get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from exposure.

Victoria reported 2179 new locally-acquired Covid cases on Friday.

It comes as more than half a dozen Geelong schools have been hit by Covid-19 cases this week, with at least two more schools on Thursday informing parents of infected students or attendees.

Herne Hill Primary School and Covenant College in Bell Post Hill on Thursday afternoon contacted parents and carers after being informed they were Covid-19 exposure sites.

Covenant College in Bell Post Hill has had a recorded case of Covid. Picture: Peter Ristevski

Covenant College emailed school community members to inform them the junior school would be closed until further notice after being listed as an exposure site, while Herne Hill Primary School principal Shane Ezard also wrote to parents and carers following a positive case.

“Unfortunately we have been notified today of a positive Covid case within our school community,” Mr Ezard wrote on a school messaging application. “The Foundation student has not been on site since Monday the 11th of October and was not displaying any symptoms at the time.”

“Any current known and suspected primary close contacts have been notified by phone.

“I am currently continuing to work with the Department of Education and the Health Department in regards to actions. Please continue to monitor COMPASS for an updates and actions, which I am hoping will come later tonight or early in the morning.”

The latest cases came as both Belmont High School and North Geelong Secondary College were closed on Thursday due to Covid-19 exposures, and following the closures of Lara Primary School, Clonard College and Rollins Primary School in Bell Post Hill.

Clonard College closed on Tuesday for cleaning, after a student who was on site on Friday tested positive to Covid.

“While we undertake our contact tracing process, students who were onsite on Friday are to stay home, limit movement and not attend public places,” principal Luci Quinn said in a letter to families sent Monday night.

“If you or anyone in your family develop even the mildest of symptoms, please get tested.

“We aim to minimise disruption and hope to be able to return to onsite learning for staff and students as soon as possible.”

The increasing number of school cases came as Geelong recorded a sharp spike in Covid infections on Thursday, with Victoria setting a new national record for daily cases.

Thirty-two new cases were reported for Greater Geelong on Thursday.

It was the highest number of new daily cases reported for the municipality this year, and understood to be among the worst days Geelong has recorded in the pandemic.

Victoria’s Covid commander Jeroen Weimar said the new Geelong cases were mostly linked and connected, but nine were still under investigation.

Barwon South West public health unit director Eugene Athan confirmed a number of the cases announced Thursday were known contacts of confirmed cases and had been isolating.

According to health department data published Thursday, Greater Geelong had 166 active cases.

The Surf Coast and Golden Plains each recorded one new Covid case.

Prof Athan said as of 9am Thursday there were 36 patients in Geelong hospital with COVID-19.

Eleven were in ICU.

“In keeping with our role as a Covid streaming hospital the inpatients come from Geelong and across the state,” Prof Athan said.

Corio MP Richard Marles will not attend parliament next week because he visited a Tier 1 exposure site on October 7 and is in isolation.

Deputy Labor leader Richard Marles visits a vaccination centre in Prahran. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Geraghty

“As a result, I have followed the health advice, have been tested and am now isolating until further notice,” Mr Marles said.

“We are so close to getting to the other side of this and it is still as important as ever we are listening to and continue to follow the health advice and play our part in keeping our community safe.”

Victoria reported 2297 new locally acquired Covid cases on Thursday.

It marked the highest daily number of new cases recorded by a state or territory since the start of the pandemic.

Village Cinemas Geelong is an exposure site.

The health department has published more tier one exposure sites for the Geelong region including:

GoldenDragon restaurant, at 154A Moorabool Street, on September 30 from 7.30pm to 9.15pm;

VillageCinemas screening of “Candy Man”, at 194-200 Ryrie Street, on September 30 from 9.15pm to 11.40pm;

The Commun Ne Feine Hotel, at 209 Bellerine Street, from 5.30pm to 7.30pm on both October 6 and 7; and,

Two Sugars Torquay, at Shop 1-2/40 The Esplanade, on October 9 from 8pm to 10pm.

Anyone who attended tier one sites in the listed time frames must get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from exposure.

Originally published as Geelong records 28 new Covid cases, nine not linked to current outbreaks