NewsBite

Updated

COVID VIC updates: Victoria has recorded three new cases of COVID-19 in the community

Victoria has recorded three new cases of COVID-19 in the community and none of them are in hotel quarantine. It comes after 60 days without a single case.

Bella Fowler, Lauren McMah and Rohan Smith
2 min read
December 30, 2020 - 12:22PM
Victoria's COVID free streak has ended

Victoria's streak of 61 days without a single case of COVID-19 in the community has come to an end.

Three cases -- two women in their 40s and a woman in her 70s -- were reported to authorities in Melbourne on Wednesday afternoon, none of which are in hotel quarantine.

Authorities have already been in touch with all three cases' close contacts and advised them to isolate.

The three cases are from Hallam, Mitcham and Mentone, all in Melbourne's southeast.

A spokesperson for the Victorian Government says the three new cases are believed to be linked to the Sydney cluster.

Victoria's Commander of COVID-19 response, Jeroen Weimar, said in a statement that close contacts were identified. 

"We have three cases that are self-isolating at home and are being supported and monitored ... We have been in this position before and we are deploying our full outbreak approach around these cases.

"Extensive contact tracing is underway and as a result there are currently more than 40 primary close contacts that are being supported to isolate."

It comes as the state tightens its border with NSW where a cluster on the northern beaches is now just one of a number of hot spots.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian earlier today described an outbreak in Croydon in Sydney's inner-west as "concerning", with six cases recorded so far. There has also been a further  infection in Wollongong, 120km south of Sydney, taking the total number of cases there to two. 

But things quickly escalated after her press conference. A pharmacy in the Blue Mountains suburb of Katoomba had to break the news itself on social media after a staff member became infected with COVID-19.

On Facebook, staff at the Greenwell and Thomas Pharmacy at Katoomba, 110km west of Sydney, wrote that the infected staff member worked on Saturday 26th December and Sunday 27th December.

People infected with COVID-19 visited a host of venues in southwest Sydney, too, according to the latest alert from NSW Health on Wednesday afternoon.

The suburbs of most concern now include Bankstown, Bass Hill, Punchbowl and Liverpool.

Ms Berejiklian pleaded for anyone in the state with even the mildest of symptoms to come forward for testing in a bid to get on top of the outbreak.

She also announced an urgent tightening of restrictions for New Year's Eve across Greater Sydney with indoor gatherings limited to just five people and outdoor groups restricted to 30 until further notice. 

"Our preferred advice is that people just stay home for New Year's Eve, but if (you) must have people over, don't have more than five and please make sure you have adequate social distancing, good ventilation, all those things Dr Chant and the health experts talk about," she said.

Follow our live updates below.

Updates

Three Victorians infected are all women in 40s, 70s

Victoria's COVID-19 response commander Jeroen Weimar has made some comments tonight about Victoria's three new cases, which include two women in their 40s and a woman in her 70s.

He says the state's "full outbreak approach" is being deployed and that Victoria has "been in this position before".

The women are from Hallam, Mitcham and Mentone but exposure sites include a restaurant at Oakleigh, a shopping centre at Glen Waverley and the beaches at Mentone and Parkdale.

Beaches, shopping centres among exposure sites

Victoria's Health Department has issued a list of exposure sites following news that three Victorians have been infected with COVID-19 today.

The government updated their advice at 8.40pm to include Holy Family Parish Doveton Catholic Church and Fountain Gate Shopping Centre stores including Kmart, Big W, Target, Millers, King of Gifts and Lacoste on Boxing Day.

Woman speeds through Victoria border checkpoint

Victoria Police have released a statement following the arrest of a 57-year-old woman who evaded a checkpoint into the state from NSW this morning.

The woman sped through the Chandlers Creek checkpoint in East Gippsland "at a fast rate of speed" about 4am, police say.

"A pursuit was initiated but soon terminated owing to increasing risk to the community, caused by the alleged manner of the woman's driving," a statement read.

The Bateau Bay woman had attempted to enter Victoria at an earlier date and was told to make a permit application.

She was arrested after being spotting driving her vehicle near Nhill, allegedly on her way to South Australia, about 5pm.

Victoria changes border rules with NSW

Anyone who has been in the NSW regions of Blue Mountains and Wollongong from Sunday will be banned from entering Victoria from January 1, under new rules.

The Victorian government unveiled new border measures on Wednesday for those wanting to return to Victoria from the two areas.

The rules were introduced after 18 new COVID-19 cases were reported in NSW, including six from a new cluster in the inner-west of Sydney.

People wanting to return from the two regions must do so between midnight on Wednesday and 11.59pm on New Year’s Eve.

Victorian cases linked to Sydney cluster

It's awful news for Victorians. They've spent two months without a single locally-acquired COVID-19 case in the community and that all changed this afternoon.

The three cases, linked to individuals in Hallam, Mitcham and Mentone, are isolating and so are their close contacts.

The ABC reports the cases are linked to the Sydney cluster even though the three people to test positive did not themselves visit NSW.

New York Times tennis writer Ben Rothenberg tweeted that the news was a "blow to AusOpen planning to have Melbourne's fragile zero cracked".

Three cases linked to southeast suburbs

Victoria's three new cases are recorded in the suburbs of Mitcham, Hallam and Mentone.

We'll have more detail on those when it comes to hand.

Victoria records three new community cases

There are reports in the last few minutes that Victoria's streak of 61 days without a case of coronavirus in the community has come to an end.

The Herald Sun and The Age are reporting three cases have been identified in the community and none are from returned travellers.

The close contacts of the three people have been contacted and told to self-isolate.

A spokesman for the government says the three people will be re-tested and potential exposure sites will be updated soon.

More alerts for NSW roll in

Another batch of venues have been added to the list of locations visited by positive COVID-19 cases in NSW.

People who visited the following venues on the corresponding days are considered close contacts and must get tested and self-isolate for 14 days:

  • Monkey Mania at Bankstown Sports Club on December 28
  • La Piazza at Bankstown Sports Club on December 28
  • Hair Management at Bass Hill on December 24
  • Venus nail salon at Bass Hill on December 24

People who visited the following venues on the corresponding days are considered casual contacts and must get tested and self isolate until a negative result is received:

  • Priceline Pharmacy at Bankstown on December 24
  • Greenwell and Thomas Pharmacy at Katoomba on December 26-27
  • Priceline Pharmacy at Liverpool on December 23

People who visited the following venues on the corresponding days should monitor for symptoms and get tested if they appear:

  • Bankstown Sports Club on December 28
  • Bass Hill Plaza on December 24

NSW Health now acknowledging Katoomba case

NSW Health is now asking people who attended a pharmacy in the Blue Mountains suburb of Katoomba on December 26th and 27th to get tested for COVID-19.

As we reported earlier today, the Greenwell and Thomas Pharmacy has been closed for a deep clean after a staff member tested positive.

The news was not part of the Premier Gladys Berejiklian's press conference earlier today but NSW Health has now confirmed it.

Read related topics:BrisbaneMelbournePerthSydney
More related stories

Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/world/coronavirus/australia/coronavirus-nsw-numbers-vic-rules-qld-border-news/live-coverage/131f540ec322bb8ee0f7ddebbcd0b527