Doctors warn Orthodox Jewish community of widespread outbreak
Victoria’s orthodox Jewish community has been warned of a devastating COVID-19 outbreak amid claims members are refusing to adhere to emergency regulations.
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Victoria’s orthodox Jewish community has been warned of a devastating COVID-19 outbreak amid claims members are refusing to adhere to emergency regulations.
Despite making up just 0.1 per cent of Victoria’s population, doctors say the tight-knit community has already recorded more than six per cent of the state’s coronavirus cases.
They have blamed the disproportionate figure on a refusal by sections of the community to follow government regulations.
Sources say some members of the community, including community leaders, have openly defied isolation orders and other directives despite the rapid spread of the virus.
On Wednesday police were called after dozens of people tried to gather in secret for a religious service.
The community’s Yeshiva-Beth Rivkah Colleges were among the first Victorian schools to shutdown earlier this month after a teacher tested positive to COVID-19.
Several more cases have since been detected at the schools.
Since then some community members have refused to stop adhering to religious practices with others, while several weddings have taken place including one attended by more than 300 people.
Guests included rabbis and senior community figures.
Dr Daniel Aronov, in a video that has gone viral among the community, pleaded with people to take the threat of coronavirus more seriously.
“I’m really scared about what’s happening to the frum (religious) community in Melbourne,” he said.
“Most of you get it...but there are a very samll number of people in our community who just don’t understand.
“We have a lot of confirmed cases and that will probably mean hundreds of unconfirmed cases that will surface over the next two weeks,” he said.
Dr Aronov could not be contacted for comment.
But in an email to community members on Wednesday he stressed that the orthodox Jewish community was at an increased risk.
Dr Aronov attributed the risk to a large number of international students who had returned home, and a number of large gatherings that were held before the extent of the pandemic was realised.
He said a significant challenge was to find ways around the community’s “central practice of...community and interconnectivity.”
Another doctor, Jonathan Pinczower, has also urged stricter adherance to government directives.
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