Eastland General Pants Co and Aquinas College Ringwood workers test positive for coronavirus
Workers at one of Melbourne’s biggest shopping centres and at a well-known Ringwood school have tested positive to coronavirus as the toll continues to rise.
Outer East
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Two confirmed coronavirus cases have emerged at Maroondah’s biggest shopping centre and a well-known secondary school.
Eastland has confirmed its first case of the deadly virus with a worker at General Pants Co informing centre management on Tuesday, July 28.
General manager Greg Balmforth said the store closed to undertake a deep-clean and management were attempting to contact those who had been in recent contact with the affected staff member.
Mr Balmforth said the store was closed until further notice but the remainder of the centre was open for trading as usual.
“The safety and wellbeing of our Eastland community is our priority and we take this notification extremely seriously,” Mr Balmforth said.
“The tenant is working with DHHS in taking steps to understand who may have been in recent contact with the person who tested positive and they will contact people who may be at risk.”
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“We encourage anyone that is feeling unwell and suspects they may have symptoms of COVID‐19 to self‐isolate and seek medical attention as soon as possible, in line with DHHS guidelines.”
Meanwhile, Ringwood’s Aquinas College has also closed after a worker associated with its cleaners tested positive to the deadly virus.
Principal Darren Atkinson emailed the school community to inform them of the school’s closure until at least Thursday, July 30, to “complete a precautionary pandemic clean” and to work through a contact and containment strategy.
Mr Atkinson advised all students to stay at home while contract tracing occurred, to not attend public places and limit home-based activities.
“I understand this news will be concerning for many of you,” he wrote.
“I want to assure you we are doing everything we can to contain and slow the spread of the virus and ensure the health and safety of our whole school community.”
Mr Atkinson said the school and Catholic Education Melbourne would keep the community advised about further developments when updates became available.
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