397 new coronavirus cases and three deaths, with community transmissions on the rise
Ten Airbnb revellers and a motorist who drove from Melbourne to Wodonga for a Big Mac have been unmasked as Victoria’s latest covidiots. It comes as Daniel Andrews said health authorities “have every reason to believe” current restrictions would not be enough to drive infections down.
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Victoria’s coronavirus increase has fallen for the second consecutive day.
Three people are dead and 397 new cases have been detected over the past 24 hours.
A woman in her 90s and a man and women in their 80s have taken the state’s grim death toll to 116. All three deaths are believed linked to nursing home outbreaks.
Saturday marked the second consecutive drop in new virus cases, since a shocking record high of 723 new cases was recorded Thursday.
Data analysts are currently reviewing the state’s cases to determine what, if any, new restrictions need to be introduced.
Premier Daniel Andrews dropped a strong hint that Victoria would go into tighter lockdown in coming days.
“We’ve got numbers that are too high. We have every reason to believe that these current settings will not get this job done — or that we need to do more.
“And when I have made those decisions … when I can take you through it, I will.”
Forty-one patients are in intensive care, with 24 on ventilators.
Victoria now has 5919 active cases, with 1008 linked to the besieged aged care sector and 1075 relating to healthcare workers.
Concerningly, 49 mystery cases are believed to have been caused by community transmission, Mr Andrews said.
“Forty-nine doesn’t seem a very large number but … that can mean there are many more than 49 out there that have very mild symptoms or no symptoms at all,” he said.
“They can be at the height of their infectivity and be infecting other people unbeknown to them. That is the real challenge here. It is a silent enemy, it is a very cunning enemy as well.”
Mr Andrews said there were no new restrictions to be announced on Saturday, but indicated the level of community transmission cases were of “great concern to us and we can’t rule out taking further steps … because they will be necessary”.
Despite the swelling of coronavirus figures, Mr Andrews insisted there was enough staff to contact-trace cases, with more than 2000 people now in that public health team.
“Is the team bigger than it has ever been? Yes, because this is a once-in-a-century event,” he said.
“Can it or will it need to get bigger still? I think it may … Every single day we examine if there is more that we can do.”
There has been increasing concern of delays between cases being notified and contact tracing beginning, especially in the aged care system which the premier described as “confronting and challenging environments”.
The situation in that sector was “very serious”.
“It’s a very serious challenge in many ways and this is very difficult for residents and families as well,” Mr Andrews said.
CASES LINKED TO MAJOR OUTBREAKS
More than 650 cases have been officially linked to major outbreaks across the state.
Al-Taqwa College in Truganina remains closed after 184 cases of coronavirus were linked to the primary school and secondary college.
17 cases have also been linked to the Linfox warehouse in Truganina.
Meanwhile, meatworks plants at the centre of some of Victoria’s biggest outbreaks are responsible for more than 300 cases, figures released by the Department of Health show.
134 cases have been linked to Bertocchi Smallgoods in Thomastown, while 84 cases have been linked to JBS in Brooklyn.
68 cases have been linked to Australian Lamb Company in Colac.
14 cases have been linked to Golden Farms Poultry in Breakwater
A Woolworths Distribution Centre in Mulgrave has also been linked to 33 cases.
25 cases have also been linked to Nino Early Learning in Bundoora as the centre announced it would remain closed for cleaning after a worker tested positive earlier this month.
19 cases have been linked to olive and antipasto distributor Ausfresh in Broadmeadows.
18 cases have been linked to Dowell Windows in Bayswater.
16 cases have been linked to Serco in Mill Park.
40 cases have been linked to Melbourne Health Royal Park Campus.
FITZROY SUPERMARKET CLOSES
Piedimonte’s Supermarket in Fitzroy remains open after a worker tested positive for coronavirus following their last shift at the store on Sunday last week.
Staff in other departments across the landmark supermarket were notified of the case through communal notices alerting workers that a worker from Piedimonte’s liquor store had tested positive.
It is reported the worker that tested positive for the virus has been self-isolating for the past week while they awaited their test results.
BIG MAC COVIDIOT AMONG PEOPLE FINED
Ten disobedient revellers having an Airbnb party in West Melbourne were among the hundreds who were fined for flouting stay-at-home orders in the past 24 hours.
Police fined another 168 Victorians for breaching health orders to stay at home including 18 who were issued infringements at vehicle checkpoints and 31 who failed to wear a face covering.
Among the covidiots were:
• A man who travelled from Thornbury to Werribee to get a haircut from his favourite barber;
• A man who travelled from Bentleigh East to Sunbury for his favourite takeaway; and
• A man who travelled from Melbourne to Ballarat twice to get some fresh air.
The West Melbourne apartment party cost the group $16,520 in fines. All were escorted out of the premises.
A frustrated Lisa Neville also revealed shocking examples of restriction breachers who were fined on Friday.
“Just in case there is any doubt at all, that there is absolutely no reason or need to drive from Melbourne to Wodonga to have a Big Mac,” the Police Minister said.
“There is absolutely no reason or need to drive from Melbourne to Ballarat for fresh air.
“There is absolutely no reason to drive from Werribee out to Springvale to buy groceries. They are just three of the fines that we saw issued yesterday … and those people will have received a fine yesterday.
“As the people who decided to have an Airbnb party, they will be issued with a $1652 fine.
“All the people who continue to operate and go to a brothel … behaviour that is appalling and unacceptable and does need to stop.”
Masks will be mandatory across the entire state from 11.59pm Sunday.
STATE BRACES FOR TIGHTER LOCKDOWN
Victorians are bracing for more economic pain with tighter restrictions and even a full lockdown on the horizon.
Mr Andrews has set a deadline of Sunday, at which data being crunched by health authorities could result in tougher rules or an extension of the six-week stage three period.
“It is not a tap you can just turn on or off, and they are not decisions that would be taken lightly because there are significant costs,” he said on Saturday.
“Even minor changes have a significant cost. But the numbers are too high and there is a growing case for us to do more.
“What we may be doing now may not be enough when you consider that it has brought us stability.
“As Brett (Sutton, Chief Health Officer) indicated yesterday, these settings, as challenging as they are, have avoided thousands and thousands of cases every day in the health system being overwhelmed.
“That should not be read to be people are doing it easy, it is tough and aged care is especially challenging. But we cannot open up again at these levels and, therefore, there is detailed work being done about possible next steps.”
The potential for further restrictions has raised concerns among business figures.
Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief Paul Guerra warned more jobs could be lost under a tougher regimen.
“The current restrictions, coupled with the border closures imposed by other jurisdictions, have all but brought the Victorian economy to a standstill,” Mr Guerra said.
“With the state’s unemployment levels forecast to peak at 9 per cent by the end of the year, there is no doubt that more businesses and jobs will be lost if infections are not brought under control and the lockdown is extended.”
Australian Industry Group Victorian director Tim Piper warned any move toward a full-scale lockdown would be devastating and urged the government to proceed with care.
“I hope that we make restrictions based on areas, and sectors and specific circumstances rather than having an across the board ready-aim-fire position because that would have a terrible toll on the economy in Victoria and Australia,” Mr Piper said.
Federal Finance Minister Mathias Cormann said further restrictions in Victoria would “have a negative effect” on the national economy.
Melbourne’s existing six-week lockdown was tipped to cost the economy $3.3bn, according to last week’s budget update. Treasurer Tim Pallas forecast a $7.5bn deficit but the modelling did not factor in further restrictions.
Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said on Friday other factors would also play a role in the government’s decision.
‘BEYONCE TOWER’ OUTBREAK TIPPED TO GROW
An outbreak among construction workers at a Melbourne high-rise tower is expected to grow, with more than 600 employees ordered off site after a dozen became infected.
Twelve workers tested positive for coronavirus, with close to 20 casuals identified as close contacts, at the Multiplex Premier Apartments site on Spencer St on Friday.
The $315 million apartment and hotel project, dubbed the Beyonce tower, is a 79-storey mixed-use skyscraper under construction. Works are set to be completed by Christmas.
But the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union warned the number of infected workers could grow.
“You can’t expect to have 12 positive cases and 20 close contacts without more confirmed infections,” union representative Jan Meehan said.
“Multiplex had very tight records on what workers were working on what level and they were very quick to shut the site down.”
It’s the third construction site in Melbourne to close due to a worker contracting COVID-19.
Ms Meehan was “quite confident” tighter restrictions weren’t imminent, but warned stricter laws that caused construction sites to close would be “catastrophic” for the economy.
“We have been given no direction as of yet that stage four will be the case and we liaise with the Premier’s office very regularly,” she said.
“If construction stopped the level of unemployment and finances would be horrendous. Construction workers represent 45 per cent of the state’s taxes – that’s a phenomenal number.”
NT COUPLE TESTS POSITIVE AFTER MELBOURNE TRIP
The Northern Territory has confirmed a second case of COVID-19 in as many days after a family returned to Darwin from Melbourne.
But Health Minister Natasha Fyles has reassured Territorians that the couple had travelled for essential medical reasons, and were appropriately quarantined on return.
On Friday, a man who did not have any symptoms of the virus found out he had tested positive for COVID-19 while on Jetstar flight JQ678.
On Saturday his partner also tested positive.
They had been in Melbourne accompanying a person who was receiving essential medical care, and had prearranged to quarantine for 14 days upon their return to the Northern Territory.
Upon receiving his positive test, the man, who was asymptomatic during the flight and had worn personal protective equipment, was taken straight to isolation at the Royal Darwin Hospital.
The woman is believed to have been in isolation at the same hospital when she tested positive.
FRESH CEDAR MEATS EMPLOYEE TESTS POSITIVE
A staff member at Cedar Meats has tested positive for COVID-19.
The Brooklyn based meat plant said the worker was at the site on 22 July, with all other close contacts undergoing testing.
Affected staff have been asked to self-isolate until further notice.
“We will continue to follow the advice of DHHS as we await the results of the testing
undertaken today,” a spokesperson said in a statement.
The meat processing plant was at the centre of a major coronavirus cluster during the first wave of the virus, which peaked at over 100 cases.
VENTILATORS SET FOR DELIVERY
The first of 2000 ventilators ordered just three months ago have now been added to the national medical stockpile, shoring up hospital capacity amid an influx of COVID-19 patients.
The Herald Sun can reveal Melbourne-based company Grey Innovation has started to deliver the ventilators purchased in a $31m agreement with the federal government.
Grey Innovation executive chairman Jefferson Harcourt said the company was “manufacturing at full speed”.
He said assembly lines in Box Hill and Nunawading were up and running as part of a network of manufacturers and suppliers.
The ventilators were ordered as the first wave of the pandemic unfolded.
As of Friday, 36 COVID-19 patients in Victoria were in intensive care.
Federal Industry, Science and Technology Minister Karen Andrews said the agreement had helped Grey Innovation employ 22 new engineers, with another 250 jobs created or retained across their supplies.
“The local production of these ventilators is an outstanding example of what can be achieved when industry and government work together and draw on our highly advanced manufacturing capability,” she said.
“These ventilators are available to be sent anywhere they are needed in Australia and give us an impressive reserve capacity.
“Hopefully they won’t all be needed, but these machines will ensure that our hospitals are well equipped to withstand future surges in intensive care cases.”
Federal Health Department secretary Brendan Murphy said this week authorities were “very comfortable” with the capacity of intensive care units in Victorian hospitals.
“ICU occupancy is still well within its base and we have already substantial plans to expand ICU capacity in the public and private hospital system in Victoria,” Prof Murphy said.
“I don’t think there would be any foreseeable need … unless we had a very significant increase in the number of severe cases, to do that.”
RESHUFFLE FOR VICTORIA’S CORONAVIRUS TEAM
The Victorian government has undergone a reshuffle of its COVID-response team, as the state reels from a week of high case numbers.
The Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police and the Chief Health Officer have joined the State Control Meeting, chaired by the Emergency Management Commissioner.
The DHHS Secretary has also been appointed as State Controller – Health, and will be leading the state’s response to stop the spread of coronavirus.
“Every crisis is different, and these changes will ensure the Chief Commissioner, the Chief Health Officer and Emergency Management Commissioner has every tool they need, as we continue to slow the spread,” a government spokesperson said.
In further changes three new Deputy Chief Health Officers have joined the DHHS, with current deputy Annaliese Van Diemen returning to her former duties focusing on other communicated diseases.
Prof Allen Cheng from the Alfred Hospital, Prof Rhonda Stuart from Monash Health and Prof Paul Johnson from Austin Health have stepped in to fill the roles.
AGED CARE HOMES UNDER INVESTIGATION
St Basil’s Home for the Aged in Fawkner now has 134 active cases of coronavirus among residents, ten more than Friday, data released by the Department of Health shows.
It comes as the entire Fawkner aged care home has been cleared of residents who were reported to have arrived at hospital with fever and pneumonia from the virus.
Three more cases have also been linked to Epping Gardens Aged Care in Epping, bringing the total to 118 cases.
New coronavirus cases have been identified in other aged care facilities, including two cases linked to Uniting AgeWell in Kingsville and two linked to Twin Parks Aged Care Centre in Reservoir.
Highwood Court Aged Care in Burwood, St Vincent’s Aged Care in Eltham, Little Sisters of the Poor St Jospeh’s Home in Northcote and Doutta Galla Yarraville Village have all been linked to single cases in the past 24 hours.
• 105 cases have been linked to Estia Aged Care Facility in Ardeer, while 94 cases have been linked to Kirkbrae Presbyterian Homes in Kilsyth.
• 86 cases have been linked to Estia Aged Care Facility in Heidelberg.
• 63 cases have been linked to Menarock Life Aged Care Facility in Essendon.
• 60 cases have been linked to Glendale Aged Care Facility in Werribee.
• 56 cases have been linked to Outlook Gardens Aged Care Facility in Dandenong North.
• 54 cases have been linked to Aurrum Aged Care in Plenty.
• 53 cases have been linked to BaptCare Wyndham Lodge in Werribee.
About 100 aged care facilities across Victoria have experienced coronavirus outbreaks.
At least 10 aged care homes are under investigation over concerns they may have endangered their staff during horrific COVID-19 outbreaks.
The Herald Sun can reveal WorkSafe is examining whether the facilities have complied with occupational health and safety laws after at least 17 coronavirus-related claims were reported.
It is understood the watchdog is looking at the circumstances of Victoria’s biggest outbreaks including at Epping Gardens, Essendon’s Menarock Life Aged Care and St Basil’s in Fawkner, where all residents were transferred to hospital on Friday after six staff tested positive.
There are now 928 coronavirus cases linked to 103 aged care facilities — after an extra 23 homes with cases were identified on Friday — and 46 people have died.
In distressing scenes this past week, residents have been left unwashed and malnourished for days, families have been unable to find their loved ones, and staff at Epping Gardens even had to call triple-0.
Aged Care Quality and Safety Commissioner Janet Anderson said facilities that breached quality standards could face hefty financial penalties or have their accreditation revoked.
She said the industry watchdog was monitoring complaints received about Victorian aged care services and would speak to staff and residents and review documents in its investigations.
It is understood WorkSafe is also looking at Estia Aged Care Facility Ardeer, Glendale Aged Care Facility, Estia Aged Care Heidelberg, Arcare Aged Care Craigieburn, Baptcare Wyndham Lodge Community Werribee, Regis Brighton Aged Care and Embracia Moonee Valley Aged Care.
It comes after it was revealed that Victorian employers could be jailed for up to 20 years and fined $16.5m if their staff contracted coronavirus at work and died as a result.
A WorkSafe spokesman said the authority was tackling health and safety risks in aged care with inspections, inquiries and tailored advice developed with unions, providers and industry groups. “WorkSafe is making inquiries as part of a standard coronavirus response process,” he said.
Ms Anderson said the commission’s role was “to hold providers to account for the quality and safety of the care they provide to older Australians”.
“The commission is closely monitoring the situation in Victoria and providing support to aged care services in managing the increased risks of a COVID-19 outbreak,” she said.
— With Anthony Piovesan, Ellen Ransley, Alex White, Grant McArthur and Rhiannon Down
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