Three new positive coronavirus cases in Victoria believed to be linked to Sydney outbreak

Victorian health authorities are rushing to get on top of three new virus cases, with the state to close its border to more parts of NSW.

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Victorian health authorities have rushed to get on top of three new positive coronavirus cases detected late today.

The three cases are from Mentone, Hallam and Mitcham and all three are believed to be linked to Sydney’s outbreak.

Victoria’s Commander of COVID-19 response Jeroen Weimar said the active cases were a concern but that everything was being done to ensure all relevant exposure sites and close contacts were identified.

“We have three cases that are self-isolating at home and are being supported and monitored by the Department of Health and Human Services,” Mr Weimar said.

The cases are present in two women in their 40s and a woman in her 70s.

“We have been in this position before and we are deploying our full outbreak approach around these cases.

“Extensive contact tracing is underway and as a result there are currently more than 40 primary close contacts that are being supported to isolate immediately,” Mr Weimar said.

Contact tracing is ongoing overnight as evidence of how these cases presented and more close contacts are expected to emerge.

“At this point, our priority is on making sure we’ve got the right supports in place for the close contacts (primary and secondary) and that people are getting themselves tested.”

Fountain Gate Kmart is among several stores to be added to the high-risk virus sites.

HIGH-RISK LOCATIONS

December 26: Holy Family Parish Doveton Catholic - 4pm - 6pm

December 26: Kmart, Big W, Target, Millers, King of Gifts, Lacoste at Fountain Gate Shopping Centre - 9am to 11am

December 27: Mentone/Parkdale Beach - 10:00 – 16:30

December 28: Century City Walk and Mocha Jo’s, Glen Waverley - 13:30 – 17:00

December 28: Katialo restaurant, Eaton Mall, Oakleigh - 19:00 - 20:15

It comes as the state government has moved to further tighten the closure of the NSW border, giving anyone who has been in or visited the Blue Mountains or Wollongong regions from 27 December until 11.59pm on the 31 December to enter Victoria.

Anyone intending to return to Victoria from these areas between midnight tonight and 11.59pm on 31 December must apply for a new travel permit through Service Victoria, must get tested within 24 hours of returning to Victoria, and must self-quarantine at home for 14 days from when they last left the region.

Nobody who has visited these areas will be able to enter Victoria after December 31.

Anyone currently in Victoria, who has been in Wollongong or the Blue Mountains since 27 December is urged to get tested and stay at home until a negative test result is received.

VICTORIANS WARNED NOT TO LET GUARD DOWN OVER HOLIDAYS

It comes as Victorians have been put on notice ahead of New Year’s Eve, with police vowing to break up large crowds gathered across Melbourne.

Meanwhile, there are just eight active cases of COVID-19 in Victoria with seven among returning international travellers in hotel quarantine — one new.

Another is a teen in isolation after contracting the virus in NSW.

But a new cluster has erupted in NSW, which recorded 18 new cases overnight, sparking alarm.

Victoria Police assistant commissioner Luke Cornelius said on Wednesday that police would not hesitate to break up crowds across Melbourne’s CBD or beaches if they exceeded the maximum size of 100 currently allowed under the chief health officer’s directions.

He said more than 1500 police would be out in force ensuring revellers were complying with the directions across the state.

The police air wing and dog squad would also be on duty to respond as necessary.

Uniformed and plain-clothed police will enforce COVID-safe measures including social distancing, masks on public transport and caps on public gatherings after City of Melbourne cancelled the annual fireworks display.

Police will be out in force on New Year’s Eve. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Daniel Pockett

And officers will also carry out extra patrols in regional Victoria and coastal areas to stamp out anti-social behaviour, violence and drink and drug driving.

The air wing, dog squad, public order response team, mounted branch and water police will also be out in force, while protective services officers (PSOs) will be deployed on trains and at train stations around Melbourne and major regional cities including Geelong, Ballarat, Frankston, Bendigo and Traralgon.

On the roads, Operation Roadwise will see marked and unmarked vehicles target motorists who are drug and alcohol affected, speeding, driving dangerously, using their phones or distracted.

But despite repeated requests from police, the state government and Lord Mayor Sally Capp for people to stay away from the CBD unless they had pre-booked plans, Mr Cornelius said police would be powerless to move people on or issue fines.

“The directions don’t prevent people moving about our city,” he said.

“We find ourselves in a wonderful situation where we have no restrictions within our state. And that’s down to the very hard work of every Victorian.

“And we’ve got to keep that effort up, if we’re going to stay in that place. So, the key advice here is if you’re coming into the city for a good time, well, do so safely.”

Mr Cornelius said the clear preference of police was for people to celebrate in their local neighbourhoods.

“The bottom line here is if you come into the city, and you’re not here for a booked event, well, what else is there?” he said.

Ms Capp said it was expected crowds would be significantly lower than the 450,000 that usually seen on New Year’s Eve because of the decision to scrap the annual fireworks.

The decision has sparked concerns about an increased prevalence of illegal backyard fireworks.

Fire Rescue Victoria deputy commissioner Gavin Freeman said crews were regularly called to put out fires sparked by illegal firework displays.

“Do not use your own fireworks. Not only are they illegal, but they’re dangerous,” he said.

“Firefighters and paramedics so often get called to events where somebody’s been injured or a fires been started,” he said.

“Think about what could happen.”

Revellers have been told to stay in their neighbourhoods where possible. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Daniel Pockett

SHOCK AS NEW NSW CLUSTER EMERGES

NSW Health officials fear Sydney’s COVID-19 outbreak is spreading even further with six new cases linked to a family at Croydon in city’s inner west.

Sydney recorded 18 new cases in the past 24 hours with nine of those linked to the northern beaches cluster.

But concerns the virus is spreading west were revealed by NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant on Wednesday, as she announced a new, unlinked cluster.

“There are six cases – three adults and three children, all members of the same extended family and they’re all linked to the cluster in the inner west which we’re now calling the Croydon cluster,” Dr Chant said.

“One of these cases was first reported yesterday morning, as that case had come in very late the prior night.

Beachgoers at the northern beaches on Sunday. Picture: Tim Pascoe

“We are expecting there will be additional cases linked to that cluster just because of the number of close contacts and the close household contact that a number of those contacts had over the period of Christmas and the following days.

“That Croydon family had a number of gatherings over a number of days. There were (at least) 34 close contacts.”

There were three further locally-acquired cases under investigation. Two cases, members of the same household, are from the Wollongong area and one is from northern Sydney.

One of the cases from Wollongong and the northern Sydney case were first reported on Tuesday morning.

Seven cases were acquired overseas and are in hotel quarantine.

The Sydney Harbour foreshore has been fenced off ahead of New Year’s Eve. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Gaye Gerard

VICTORIANS URGED TO BE ON HIGH ALERT

Victorians have been urged to remain vigilant in the fight against coronavirus as the state marked 61 consecutive days of no new daily community transmissions.

With almost 7000 tests conducted on Monday, acting premier Jacinta Allan urged Victorians not to let their guard down over the festive season.

“People can become more relaxed, but I think we’ve seen from the 6899 tests that were performed yesterday (Monday) that there’s people still understanding their role,” she said.

While testing capacity has been reduced at some sites until the new year, Ms Allan said there were still more than 60 sites across Victoria where COVID-19 testing could be done.

including at popular holiday destinations at Torquay, Lorne, and the Mornington Peninsula.

Victoria’s border with New South Wales remains closed with Ms Allan unable to say when that would change, confirming there was no specific case threshold the government was aiming for.

Victorians have been urged to remain vigilant in the fight against coronavirus. Picture: Daniel Pockett

“I appreciate, particularly over the summer season, why people want greater certainty, people wanting to look at having holidays, visit family in New South Wales or alternatively in Victoria,” she said.

“But we just know that based on the experience we’ve seen this year we have to follow the health advice. We have to continue to be very careful as we move around the community because that’s the only way we get to hold on to these record numbers.”

Ms Allan also refused to back calls for a Royal Commission probing Australia’s pandemic response, saying Victoria’s Hotel Quarantine Inquiry had looked closely at problems that led to Victoria’s fatal second wave.

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