Two locked-down public housing towers still believed to be coronavirus free
COVID-19 may be in just 30 of more than 1100 public housing tower homes that remain in hard lockdown, with two entire towers believed to be coronavirus free despite the extreme measures.
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COVID-19 may be in just 30 of more than 1100 public housing tower homes that remain in hard lockdown.
A total of 3000 residents still cannot leave their apartments but the Herald Sun understands at least two of the nine towers — in North Melbourne and Flemington — remained coronavirus-free early on Tuesday, though extensive testing was still taking place.
But because both of those towers contain largely elderly residents, and there is typically heavy traffic between towers on the estates, all remain subjected to the same stay-at-home orders.
With coronavirus testing of the towers’ 3000-plus residents to be completed late on Tuesday, Department of Health officers are expected to have a full picture of efforts to contain the virus’ spread among the highly vulnerable community on Thursday morning.
On Wednesday night, the DHHS issued a statement to the 3000 residents saying: “We will have those results by tomorrow (Thursday) and will let you know what they mean for you”.
“We appreciate this has been difficult and we thank you for making this sacrifice to help protect your friends, your family and your neighbours.”
The statement added: “Until we have those results and develop a clear plan to support anyone who tests positive or is a close contact, you will need to remain in your home”.
So far 75 cases coronavirus have been detected in the towers, however sources have revealed they were all contained in just 16 homes in the North Melbourne estate, and 14 in the Flemington complex, after the first days of testing.
It is also understood several coronavirus-positive residents were taken out of their homes to isolate away from the towers to avoid transmitting the virus to non-infected family members remaining in the apartments.
On Wednesday Premier Daniel Andrews said he was confident testing would be completed so
a detailed plan could be tailored offering specific support to those people who test positive.
“The other challenge which is, of course, where you say have a family with one person or two people may be positive but then there are other people who have underlying health challenges,” Mr Andrews said.
“Every single resident in those towers, you will be under those restrictions for not a moment longer than you need to be.”
Mr Andrews said the Chief Health Officer’s advice was to close down all the towers because the close conditions and vulnerable population would have resulted in “hundreds and hundreds” of infections.
After undergoing a coronavirus test, Flemington tower resident Steve Ulu said felt was hoping for a return to normality, though concerned to hear the cluster had grown.
Although he lives on the 14th floor, the 38-year-old said he would use the stairs and wear a mask when he can finally leave his two bedroom apartment on Thursday afternoon.
“We’re feeling optimistic we might get out of this jail like condition sooner rather than later.”
“It feels a bit overwhelming,” Mr Ulu said.
“I’m nervous and uncomfortable using the lift in our building. It will be hard to make sure it is not overcrowded. It’s difficult because we only have two lifts in our building.”
High profile Melbourne chefs Shannon Martinez, Tamara Scoulidis and Jerri Mai joined forces on Wednesday to help prepare thousands of meals for the residents in lockdown in public housing.
Martinez, of Fitzroy restaurant Smith And Daughters, and Scoulidis and Mai, from CBD eatery Annam, made curries and stews alongside cooks at the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) in North Fitzroy.
An ASRC spokeswoman said: “At a time when the hospitality industry has been hit so hard, it is humbling to see good people chipping in to help out those in need”.
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