Coronavirus: DHHS makes corrections galore, without apologies

Victorian health authorities have been forced to amend a list of potential coronavirus exposure sites after incorrectly listing locations.

Melbourne’s Rockpool Bar & Grill in Southbank is one venue which had its exposure times updated. Picture: David Geraghty

Victorian health authorities have been forced to amend a list of potential coronavirus exposure sites after incorrectly listing locations, including one hours away from where it originally said it was.

The Department of Health and Human Services on Saturday published an alert for the Wonga Estate winery in Strathbogie, in Victoria’s northeast.

Later that day, that alert was replaced with one for the same time period but for the Wyanga winery in Lakes Entrance, a five-hour drive on the other side of the Great Dividing Range.

Health authorities also listed on Saturday possible coronavirus spread at the European Bier Cafe in Melbourne’s CBD for December 21, prompting panic from Melburnians, given the early date of the potential exposure period.

However, that alert was later updated to show the exposure period a week later — on December 28.

Hours after the listing was posted, European Bier Cafe owner Paul Watson posted on Twitter that he had yet to be contacted by DHHS and had been unable to reach them.

When asked about the inaccurate details posted after DHHS contract tracing, Jeroen Weimar, Victoria’s COVID-19 co-ordinator, said he was not aware of the details of the case.

Another listing — for Southbank’s Rockpool Bar & Grill — was changed from lunch time on December 23 to between 8pm and 10pm on the same day, while an entry for a Lacoste outlet at the Fountain Gate Shopping Centre — a store that does not exist — was updated to note it was in fact the Lo Costa discount shop.

Similarly, a listing for Southbank’s Rockpool Bar & Grill was changed from lunch time on the 23rd to between 8pm and 10pm the same day.

Mr Weimar, asked why the changes has been made without the public being notified that the previous information was incorrect, said: “I don’t think you could accuse us of being quiet about anything when it comes to COVID.

“We stand up here pretty much every day when there is an outbreak and talk about exactly what we’re doing.

“The hard lesson we have learned here in Victoria is that as soon as we go through interviews in real time, as exposure sites are put up, we put them up on the website.”