Victoria’s Covid-19 outbreak grows to 18, including new cases at the MCG

Officials will contact everyone in the MCG Members’ Reserve on Saturday but there are covid concerns for a number of trains, trams and pubs.

People who contracted Covid-19 at the MCG during an AFL match likely involved “fleeting transmission” between strangers, health authorities confirmed as Victoria’s number of infections grew to 18.

“Some people within the Members’ Reserve who we have subsequently identified as coming into close contact with a confirmed case will also be messaged directly from the Department and be instructed to quarantine for 14 days,” Victoria’s Health Department tweeted.

Officials are concerned though about anyone who caught the Route 70 tram departing Flinders St/Swanston St at 3:46pm and arriving at the MCG at 3:53pm. Those people need to isolate immediately, get a test and quarantine for 14 days.

Percy Beames Bar, Members' Reserve (Level 2) - Melbourne Cricket Ground has been listed as a Tier 1 coronavirus exposure site. Picture: Facebook

The train from Jolimont to Flinders St - departing 7:13pm and arriving 7:20pm - has been identified as a Tier 2 exposure site. So is Jolimont Station from 7:05.

“If you were on the train or platform during those times: isolate, get a test and stay isolated until negative. If you are unsure, get tested,” the department advised.

“Did you have a drink before the game? Young and Jackson, at the corner of Flinders and Swanston St, between 2:40pm and 4:10pm on 10 July, is a Tier 1 exposure site.

Victoria's COVID-19 Commander, Jeroen Weimar.

Covid-19 testing commander Jeroen Weimar told reporters on Thursday evening that the latest case was a man aged in his 20s.

“We do not at this point in time believe there are any direct links between that individual and the other two cases we’ve identified today or, indeed any known contacts with the index case that visited,” Mr Weimar said.

“(It’s) very early in this investigation but at this point in time ... it’s people who have not had any known contact with each other.

“This is fleeting transmission, this is stranger-to-stranger transmission — it’s exactly what we saw when we dealt with this Delta strain only a few weeks ago.”

Authorities are examining CCTV footage to see if they could find out exactly where the people came into contact, but it was possible it was just by being in the same environment.

Two new cases are linked to a Geelong and Carlton AFL match at the MCG. Picture: NCA NewsWire/David Crosling

The latest case was sitting in the MCC members reserve area where another positive case and his friend were sitting during the Carlton versus Geelong AFL clash on Saturday.

One of them lived at the Ariele apartment complex and caught the virus from removalists linked to Sydney’s outbreak, while his teacher friend, aged in his 50s, was from Barwon Heads.

A nine-year-old boy was also a household contact of the Barwon Heads resident and tested positive.

Another man and a child, believed to be aged 11, were also among the cases from the AFL game.

Premier Daniel Andrews said there were now 75 exposure sites, 1500 primary close contacts and 5000 secondary close contacts.

“That’s how fast this moves. I want to assure all Victorians that our contact tracers, our public health experts, all the team are moving faster than they ever have,” he said.

“They’re doing a brilliant job and I’m very proud of them. But as fast as they’re moving, they’re just keeping pace with this virus, they’re not getting in front of it.

“Unless they get in front of it, we won’t drive these numbers down. In fact, they will ultimately get away from us.”

Mr Andrews said it was “with a heavy heart” that he had to announce a lockdown until at least next Tuesday night.

People line up in their cars to get tested for Covid-19. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Ian Currie

Earlier, Mr Weimar said the MCG developments “put us in a serious situation”.

He warned this cluster was potentially “operating on the basis of people not known to each other”.

“At this stage, this information has come out in the last hour,” Mr Weimar told reporters on Thursday afternoon.

“They were both sitting in level two, in the member’s reserve, at the MCC.

“We do not believe they are known contacts of the other two positive cases we know were there.

“Interviews are ongoing with those individuals as we speak. There will be other exposure sites to work through. As we have more information, we’ll continue to share it.”

Victoria's Covid-19 Commander Jeroen Weimar says two new cases from the MCG are not linked to any previous infections there. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Ian Currie

Mr Weimar said the MCG transmission was a big concern and they were worried the attendee linked to the Ariele apartment complex was “significantly infectious”.

“Our real focus is the MCG,” he said.

“We have seen – likely to have seen two cases, possibly three cases of transmission between the man in his 60s and the three other people there.

“We need to establish whether there’s other people at the MCG, if they’re positive.

“That’s a critical bit of information.

“Many of the test results are continuing to come in. If you’re getting those tier one, tier two text messages, we need you to come and get tested now.

“Stop doing what you’re doing, come and get tested so we can get that information and get you safe and secure.”

St Patrick’s Catholic School Murrumbeena sent the urgent alert to the school community on Thursday.

It comes as parents from a school in Melbourne’s southeast were told to take their children for urgent testing after the child at the AFL game returned their positive result.

In a note sent out to the school community on Thursday, St Patrick’s Catholic School in Murrumbeena said the department had told the school to close immediately.

“All students are to be collected as soon as possible,” the school wrote.

“We understand this can be a very stressful situation and we urge all parents to collect their children in an orderly and timely manner.”

The state government tightened mask rules in Victoria overnight. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Geraghty

Earlier on Thursday, Victoria’s health department confirmed 10 new local cases that were unofficially announced on Wednesday.

All 10 cases are linked to outbreaks from a team of Sydney removalists that transited through the state and a family that returned to Melbourne’s north from a NSW red zone.

The health department also confirmed no new cases in hotel quarantine, with the number of active cases in Victoria at 26.

Venues on the state’s public exposure sites list ballooned to more than 70 overnight, with several stores at a DFO in Bundoora, an Officeworks in Waurn Ponds and a McDonald’s in Craigieburn added.

Two schools – Bacchus Marsh Grammar and Barwon Heads Primary – have also been closed after positive cases visited the campus.