Coronavirus Australia: Furious cafe slams COVID diner

A regional Victorian cafe, that “worked so hard” to stay open through the pandemic, has taken aim at a Melburnian after they unlawfully dined in - with coronavirus.

Victorian cafe lashes positive Melbourne case. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

A regional Victorian cafe has been left heartbroken after it was contacted by health authorities and advised a positive case from Melbourne had dined there.

The owner of OddfelIows Cafe in Kilmore, an hour north of Melbourne, said she had “worked so hard” to keep their business open.

“To say I’m upset this has happened when it shouldn’t of is an understatement,” owner Kim Short wrote on Facebook yesterday.

The Melburnian was allowed to leave the CBD to provide care to someone in Kilmore however decided to dine at the cafe while transitting through.

They tested positive over the weekend after coming into contact with someone in the Chadstone cluster.

Chief health officer Professor Brett Sutton told reporters today the Melburnian was only permitted to buy take away from the cafe.

The person also triggered a virus alert at White Line Tyres in Benalla on September 30, the same day they dined at Oddfellows.

Prof Sutton did not tell reporters what suburb of Melbourne the positive case had come from.

“I do (know where they live) but I won’t say,” Prof Sutton said.

“I don’t want that individual to be potentially identifiable. Obviously the numbers of people who are in Kilmore and visit Kilmore is pretty small. Those who are working also reduces the potential number of people you can think about.”

Ms Short took to Facebook yesterday to reveal the cafe had undergone a deep clean but would also be closed today to give the staff “ a mental health day”.

“I’m angry but trying not to be as l’m sure they are feeling bad enough,” Ms Short wrote.

“I just know it has shaken us up and hopefully others. Let’s stay safe and not become complacent. Where (sic) fighting a monster here!”

UPDATED: High risk locations The high risk locations list now includes: 📍 Odd Fellows Cafe, Kilmore (30 Sept 2020,...

Posted by Victorian Department of Health & Human Services on Saturday, 3 October 2020

It comes as a popular Aldi supermarket is among three new public coronavirus exposure locations, sparking fears about another deadly virus cluster.

The state’s chief health officer Professor Brett Sutton revealed the sites while announcing nine more virus cases and no new deaths on Monday.

Leo Fine Food and Wine Supermarket on Summerhill Rd in Glen Iris was mentioned, with the time of exposure from 12-2.20pm on September 26.

An infected person also attended Aldi on Ashley St in West Footscray on September 25, while there are concerns at White Line Tyres in Carrier Street, Benalla where an infected person attended between 12-3pm on September 30.

Victoria recorded no new virus deaths for the first time in three weeks on Monday.

The state‘s death toll remains at 806. It’s only the second fatal-free day in the state since July 13. The last death-free day was September 15.

The state recorded nine new coronavirus cases, meaning Melbourne‘s all-important 14-day average is just hovering above 10, standing at 11.6.

That figure must be around five for the Government to consider reopening the city.

The Chadstone cluster has grown to 24, with one more case added from Sunday.