Coles, university library and tourist attraction join coronavirus hot spots as Victoria’s list of exposure sites expands past 150

A major supermarket, one of Melbourne’s largest universities and a popular tourist site have joined a list of exposure sites that ballooned over 150 on Saturday.

A Coles supermarket, a Taco Bell fast food restaurant, a university library and a popular tourist hangout are among new places added to Victoria’s growing list of coronavirus exposure sites.

One of the latest areas of concern is the Mornington Peninsula’s busiest tourist attraction.

The Peninsula Hot Springs at Fingal was added to the Tier 1 exposure list on Friday, eight days after an infectious person visited the reception area between 3pm and 3.45pm on May 21.

The Hot Springs closed for business on Thursday, May 27 and posted a notice on its website and social media advising customers it was “pressing pause on operations from 10pm, May 27 until 8am, June 4”.

On Saturday afternoon, further exposure site additions put the list at more than 150 venues.

Victorians have been urged to check the state government’s website for the full and frequently changing list.

On Saturday evening, a dedicated priority testing site was established at the Melbourne Showgrounds for Mount Ridley College students, staff and their families.

A Covid-19 update was sent to parents on Saturday evening, encouraging households to get tested by Sunday 8pm.

Pupils in Year 7 and 8, and teachers who educate those year levels, are being instructed to get tested and quarantine immediately even if they are not identified as a Tier 1 close contact.

The school remains closed and will be deep cleaned while the Department of Health completes a risk assessment.

A Mount Ridley College parent told the Herald Sun her “heart sank” when she got an email about a student at the Craigieburn school testing positive.

“I was in absolute shock, I was disgusted, just to receive a generic message, that wasn’t good enough,” Laura Petreski, whose son attends the school, told the publication.

“I wasn’t happy at all and the parents were panicking.

“When I got that email my heart sank down to my stomach.”

The sites added on Saturday afternoon as Teir 1 sites were:

• BUNDOORA: La Trobe University, Library Level 1, Plenty Road & Kingsbury Drive, between 11.45am and 3pm on May 25
  
• SOUTH YARRA: Taco Bell Chapel Street, 352 Chapel Street, between 5.30pm and 6.45pm on May 23
  
• GLEN IRIS: Coles Tooronga Village, Tooronga Road, between 4pm and 4.30pm on May 23
  
• CRAIGIEBURN: Edu-Kingdom College, 67A Hamilton Street, between 1.20pm and 5pm on May 22
  
• FINGAL: Peninsula Hot Springs, reception only, 140 Springs Lane, between 3pm and 3.45pm on May 21

All the Saturday afternoon sites were considered Tier 1 – meaning anyone who visited the venues must immediately isolate, get a Covid test and quarantine for 14 days – except the Coles in Glen Iris, which was a Tier 2 site.

Tier 2 sites require visitors to get tested for coronavirus urgently and then isolate until a negative result is received. These include:

GLEN IRIS: Tooronga Village, Tooronga Rd, Glen Iris on May 23 from 6.10pm-6.27pm

BRAESIDE: Coles Express, 918-928 Springvale Road, Cnr Governor Road, Braeside on May 22 from 8.15am-9.00am

EPPING: Pacific Epping Plaza: Cotton On, Edge, Valleygirl, Supre and Boost Juice, 571-583 High Street Epping on May 25 from 10.05am-11.45am

MICKLEHAM: Chemist Warehouse Thomastown, 250-270 Donnybrook Road, Mickleham on May 22 from 1.45pm-2.45pm

THOMASTOWN: Supa IGA Thomastown, 122 Main Street on May 24 from 11.10am-11.50am

ST KILDA: Woolworths, 117 Acland Street, St Kilda, on May 28 from 5-5.30pm

McDonalds, 32 The Esplanade, St Kilda on May 29 from 4.10pm - 4:40pm

Woolworths, 64 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda on May 27 from 4.10pm - 4:40pm

The number of sites exposed to coronavirus across Victoria has continuously expanded as the state endured its fourth major lockdown in 12 months.

Bunnings in Thomastown has been listed as a virus hot spot.

Victoria recorded five new local infections on Saturday.

The following sites have been previously listed as Tier 1 exposure sites, meaning anyone who visited the venues must immediately isolate, get a Covid test and quarantine for 14 days:

• SOUTH MELBOURNE: Miss China Noodle Bar on May 25 between 12.40pm-1.40pm
• SOUTH MELBOURNE: Telstra Shop: Shop GO1/265 Clarendon Street on May 24 between 9.15am-5.30pm
• SOUTH MELBOURNE: Telstra Shop: Shop GO1/265 Clarendon Street on May 25 between 9.15am-5.30pm
  
• SOUTH MELBOURNE: Clarendon Centre public toilets: 261 Clarendon Street on May 25 between 9.15am-6.45pm
• SOUTH MELBOURNE: Clarendon Centre public toilets: 261 Clarendon Street on May 24 between 9.15am-6.15pm
  

• CARLTON: Green Man’s Arms, 418 Lygon Sreet, 1:20pm – 2:15pm on May 23

Hungry Jack’s at Southern Cross Station is on alert.

FITZROY: Peko Peko Fitzroy, 199 Smith Street, 6:30pm – 7:45pm on May 22

The Department of Health has previously added a raft of other Tier 2 and Tier 3 exposure sites.

Anyone who has visited a Tier 2 exposure site during times listed should urgently get a test and isolate until they receive a negative result.

Anyone who has visited a Tier 3 exposure site during times listed should monitor for symptoms – if symptoms develop, immediately get tested and isolate until you receive a negative result.