Four new virus cases in Victoria as police warn more penalties in store for protesters
It will take at least a week before health officials know what impact Saturday’s anti-racism rally has on Victoria’s fight against coronavirus. Police are investigating the march after thousands of protesters defied social distancing restrictions.
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Victoria has recorded four new cases of coronavirus overnight, bringing the state’s total to 1685.
One of the new cases is linked to the Fawkner McDonald’s outbreak and the other three cases are returned travellers already in hotel quarantine.
Six people are recovering in hospital, with two of those patients in intensive care.
There have been 177 cases caught from an unknown source and 1593 people have recovered from the virus.
Speaking at a press conference this morning, Deputy Chief Health Officer Dr Annaliese van Diemen urged anyone who attended yesterday’s Black Live Matters rally to get tested straight away if they experience symptoms.
“As Professor (Brett) Sutton and others have said, those gatherings do present a risk. We are aware of that risk and we continue to monitor for any further cases as a result of that.
“We strongly encourage anybody, whether they attended the rally or not, to get tested if they have any symptoms.
Dr van Diemen said that while Saturday’s rally was a breach of social distancing rules, she supports people’s right to protest.
“I’m not going to make a comment on the cause. We understand that there are many people with causes about which they are passionate about and may have wished to undertake protests in the last few months or in the next little while.
“At the moment our advice is that while we support people’s right to undertake protests that right now the risk of this pandemic has not gone away and current advice is in place to protect the broader community of Victoria.”
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MORE PENALTIES IN STORE FOR PROTESTERS
Police have launched an investigation into a mass anti-racism protest staged despite fears it could cause a catastrophic spread of coronavirus.
More than 10,000 protesters yesterday crammed Melbourne’s CBD, with key organisers to each be hit with $1652 fines for breaching the chief health officer’s directions.
But police won’t stop there, last night declaring they were so concerned such a large “unlawful gathering” was held without social distancing they would try to track down others behind the event.
Representatives from the Warriors of the Aboriginal Resistance group last night did not respond to requests for comment. But organiser Meriki Onus, who had encouraged protesters to keep their distance and wear face masks, earlier said the cause was worth fighting for.
Premier Daniel Andrews, chief health officer Brett Sutton and his federal counterpart Brendan Murphy had all begged people not to attend.
Opposition police spokesman David Southwick branded the event a “free for all”.
The protest was peaceful with no arrests or reports of property damage.
Read the full story here.
MELBOURNE MAN TESTS POSITIVE IN QUEENSLAND
Victoria is working with Queensland health authorities to trace potential contacts of a man who tested positive to coronavirus in Queensland on Friday.
On Monday June 1, the man caught a SkyBus from Southern Cross Station to Melbourne Airport then flew to Queensland on Virgin flight VA313, which left Melbourne at 8am. He was likely infectious.
The man is linked to a confirmed case from the Rydges on Swanston outbreak, but was not disclosed as a close contact so was not in quarantine when he left Victoria.
Read the full story here.
POLICE PEPPER SPRAY SYDNEY PROTESTERS
Pepper spray has been used on protesters inside Central Station as police tried to break up the lingering group following the Black Lives Matter march in Sydney.
The chaotic scenes unfolded inside Central Station just before 7pm as an emotionally charged group of protesters refused to leave and continued to rally.
Men and women started yelling and held their hands over the eyes after at least two officers pulled out the pepper spray and used it on a small group that were in a stand-off with a line of riot squad police.
Read the full story here.
- The Sunday Telegraph