Victoria records two new locally acquired cases, two in hotel quarantine

More information has been released about how Victoria’s two new cases announced today caught the virus after a private dinner party.

Victoria has recorded two new locally acquired coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, both linked to the private dining event in Coburg.

The health department also confirmed two new infections were recorded in hotel quarantine on Tuesday, along with the two local cases, as the state enters the fourth day of a snap five-day lockdown.

Almost 24,000 Victorians were tested in the past 24 hours – down from 25,000 the previous day – as the total number of locally acquired active cases rose to 16.

Premier Daniel Andrews confirmed both of the new cases were linked to the Melbourne Airport Holiday Inn cluster through a private dining event at 426 Sydney Road in Coburg.

“They’ve been isolating, they’ve been at home, they’ve done the right thing,” the Premier said.

“They’re not unexpected positives, although I will make it clear they did test negative some days ago, so they’ve been isolating and as a result there’s no further exposure sites.”

The health department said the two local cases were close household contacts of a previously confirmed case who attended the private function.

Both new cases were linked to the Melbourne Airport Holiday Inn cluster. Picture: NCA NewsWire/ David Crosling

Mr Andrews said all 38 attendees at the event were being retested.

“The virus, while it’s fast to infect and is moving rapidly, it sometimes takes a while before people will have symptoms and return a positive swab,” he said.

The number of active cases in Victoria is 25, made up of 16 locally acquired cases and nine cases in hotel quarantine.

The total number of COVID-19 cases linked to the Melbourne Airport Holiday Inn – the cluster that send Victoria back into a third lockdown – is now 19.

It comes as a fruit shop and bakery in Broadmeadows in Melbourne’s north were added to Victoria’s growing list of public coronavirus exposure sites.

Queen Victoria Market is cleaned after it was listed as a public exposure site. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

Sacca’s Fruit World and BonBon Bakery, both in Broadmeadows Central shopping centre, were added to the list of tier one exposure sites on Monday night.

A confirmed cases of COVID-19 visited the bakery from 12.30pm to 12.45pm on February 9 and the fruit shop from 12.30pm to 1pm.

For the full list of coronavirus public exposure sites visit the health department website.

More details on Tuesday’s coronavirus situation is expected at the state government press conference later in the day.