Coronavirus: Melbourne’s lower socio-economic areas hardest hit

Trends are starting to emerge showing Melbourne’s lower socio-economic areas as being the hardest hit while the pandemic worsens.

Melbourne’s lower socio-economic communities are being hit harder as the COVID-19 pandemic worsens, Victoria’s chief health officer revealed.

When questioned if there was concern the virus was hitting communities with lower pay and less secure work, Brett Sutton replied, “absolutely”.

“We know that pandemics can really shine a light on social inequality and economic inequality,” he told reporters on Monday morning.

“People who have more insecure work and are really obliged to come to work, obviously, are more likely to turn up with symptoms.”

Victorian chief health officer Brett Sutton is concerned about the spread of COVID-19 in the city’s northwest. Picture: David Crosling/ NCA NewsWire

Victoria recorded 177 new infections overnight, but health authorities are continuing to worry about the rapid spread of the virus through Melbourne’s northwest corridor.

Prof Sutton said he was concerned about 26 cases linked to Menarock aged care in Essendon.

He warned both residents and staff had been infected and the site was being “intensively managed”.

A further 13 new cases were linked to Glendale Aged Care in Werribee, while the Al-Taqwa outbreak is nearing 150 cases, with the Department of Health and Human Services confirming 144 can be linked to the Truganina college in the city’s west.

33 Alfred Street, North Melbourne remains in hard lockdown. Picture: Daniel Pockett/ NCA NewsWire

The health department is yet to provide updated figures on the public housing cluster, but on Sunday there had been 237 cases detected across the Flemington and North Melbourne estates.

There were also 28 cases of COVID-19 at another public housing facility in Carlton that had not been placed into hard lockdown.

“We have to reach into all these communities in order to understand how best to support them for the things we know that will work, the isolation and quarantine,” Prof Sutton said.

“It is critically important not to come to work even with the mildest of symptoms.

“People who test positive and who require time off work in order to isolate or quarantine have the hardship payments available in Victoria.

“I hope that gets broadly broadcast because that’s an important thing for everyone to understand that you shouldn't feel obliged to come to a workplace with mild symptoms and there are really significant consequences for outbreaks in those sensitive settings.”