Coronavirus Victoria: Security guard’s positive test raises fears for refugees

A security guard inside a Melbourne hotel, used as a makeshift detention centre for asylum seekers, has tested positive for coronavirus.

A security guard at a Melbourne hotel housing asylum seekers has tested positive for coronavirus.

Refugee Action Collective group president Chris Breen said the Australian Border Force (ABF) had informed people of the infection inside Preston’s Mantra Hotel on Sunday night.

“This positive COVID case confirms all the warnings from refugee advocates about the risk of COVID-19 to refugees held in detention who are unable to physically distance or protect themselves from the virus,” he said.

“Authorities are not proposing uniform testing for refugees as they have for other residents of Melbourne affected by outbreaks.

“Refugees have been offered optional testing and, if they take up the offer, will be required to isolate in solitary confinement whilst awaiting test results.”

Refugees are detained inside the Mantra Hotel in Preston. Picture: Josie Hayden

The Bell St hotel is being used as a makeshift detention centre for about 60 asylum seekers who were medically evacuated from Nauru and Manus Island.

Victoria recorded 177 new infections overnight, with health authorities remaining concerned about the rapid spread of the virus through Melbourne’s northwest corridor and among high-rise buildings.

There have been 242 infections at the Flemington and North Melbourne public housing estates, while 32 can be linked to another public housing facility in Carlton that had not been placed into hard lockdown.

One of the refugees held at the Mantra hotel, Mostafa Azimitabar, said “everyone was panicking” about becoming infected.

“Nobody could sleep last night. I could not get to sleep until 5am. ABF said they could not guarantee that we wouldn’t get infected when I asked,” he said.

Mr Breen likened the Mantra hotel to a “vertical cruise ship”, the same analogy used by Australia’s acting chief medical officer Paul Kelly when describing public housing towers.

“The detention centres and hotels are similar,” he said.

The Department of Health and Human Services has been contacted for comment.