More suburbs on high alert for COVID after wastewater testing results

Wastewater testing has revealed more COVID-19 fragments in Melbourne’s outer suburbs. This is where they were detected.

COVID-19 fragments have once again been detected in three wastewater samples recently collected from Melbourne’s West and South East.

Samples were taken between March 21 to 25 at Beaconsfield, Berwick, Clyde North, Cranbourne East, Cranbourne North, Guys Hill, Hallam, Hampton Park, Harkaway, Narre Warren, Narre Warren North, Narre Warren South, Officer and Upper Beaconsfield.

Samples were also taken between March 22 to 29 at Hoppers Crossing, Tarneit, Truganina and Werribee, and between March 23 to 26 at Altona, Altona Meadows, Hoppers Crossing, Laverton, Point Cook, Seabrook, Seaholme, and Williams Landing.

The fragments of the virus detected in wastewater may be due to a person with COVID-19 being in the early active infectious phase or due to a person continuing to shed the virus after the early infectious period.

Chief health officer Brett Sutton urged “anyone with COVID-19 symptoms, no matter how mild … to get tested”, especially those who live in or have visited the listed areas during those dates.

Meanwhile, the state has now gone 37 days without a locally acquired case. More than 9500 Victorians received their test results on Saturday.

Victorians have been asked to get tested if experiencing symptoms. Picture: NCA NewsWire/David Geraghty

PUBS CALL FOR FULL TRADE AS JOBKEEPER DRIES UP

Pub owners are warning they need to be able to operate at full capacity in order to navigate the looming financial crunch of both JobKeeper and rent relief periods ending.

The Australian Hotels Association Victoria chief Paddy O’Sullivan is urging the state government to end capacity restrictions on pubs and hotels, saying every extra dollar would be crucial as owners confronted the end of JobKeeper the rent relief from Sunday.

“It’s going to be very tough for venues to meet their rising business costs if they have to operate under restricted trading rules,” Mr O’Sullivan said.

Patron limits at the state’s pubs are set at one person per two square metres, which operates as 50 per cent cap.

Publican Mark O’Reilly at Platform 28 at Docklands. Picture: Nicki Connolly

But with Victoria this week recording no new active cases for the first time in three months, Mr O’Sullivan said pubs and hotels should able to operate at full capacity.

“As football crowds at the MCG increase to 75,000, offices return to 100 per cent capacity and people can have 100 visitors at their home, pubs and hotels should be afforded increased patronage too,” he said.

“This will have a significant impact on the survival of hospitality venues through 2021, saving jobs, livelihoods and some of the state’s most iconic hotels.”

The state’s pubs and hotels had embraced the COVID safe principles, including early adoption of digital contact tracing, abiding by density limits and practising good hygiene, Mr O’Sullivan said.

Publican Mark O’Reilly runs a number of Melbourne venues including The Glenferrie Hotel in Hawthorn, Bridie O’Reilly in South Yarra and Platform 28 at the Docklands.

Patrons enjoy a drink at The Wolf Windsor. File image: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

Mr O’Reilly said JobKeeper and rent deferrals had played a critical role in supporting the industry through the pandemic but it was now time for venues to stand on their own two feet.

To do that, however, they needed to be able to run at full capacity, Mr O’Reilly said.

“We’ve got no community transmission and we are able to operate in a safe manner,” he said.

“It’s been a difficult 12 months but we are open and heading in the right direction so let’s continue that.”

Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief Paul Guerra said South Australia and Western Australia were already operating at a 75 per cent occupancy cap.

“Victoria needs to get to 75 per cent capacity now and accelerate to 100 per cent over the coming weeks as the vaccine rollout progresses,” he said.

“The timing could not be more crucial.”

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