Coronavirus: Jenny Mikakos silent on meat plant cluster, but happy to name school of positive teacher
Victoria’s Health Minister has refused to name a meat processing plant linked to six new cases of the coronavirus.
Victoria’s Health Minister has refused to name a meat processing plant linked to six new cases of the coronavirus, which has hundreds of staff, despite naming a school with just a few students and staff where a teacher tested positive.
Victorian meat safety regulator PrimeSafe stressed meat processed at the facility did not pose any risk, and the state’s Department of Health and Human Services has elected not to name the plant.
Health Minister Jenny Mikakos said the authority only did so for outbreaks where there was a “significant public health risk”. More than 300 workers at the meat plant have been tested.
Ms Mikakos insisted there was no double standard in the government releasing the name of Meadowglen Primary School.
The school’s principal, Loretta Piazza, said a music teacher had exhibited mild flu-like symptoms since the end of March but had been unable to get tested for the coronavirus.
“He hasn't been very sick,” she said. “Even now he only has a bit of a cough, so he’s relatively well.”
Ms Piazza stressed the schoolteacher hadn’t been around any students and had only come on to school grounds to record videos to assist with distance learning.
“The teacher had been working in the school doing some filming so we could post it online for kids working at home,” she said. “The teacher hadn’t been in contact with children, thank goodness.”
Ms Piazza said the school was expected to reopen on Wednesday after it was cleaned.
She said the school’s attendance rate was about 15 per cent, with many of their parents being essential workers.
“We do need to stay open to help parents,” she said. “Paramedics, supermarket and Centrelink workers need to be able to go to work, so in terms of reopening we follow the advice of our Chief Medical Officer.”
More than 9000 people were tested for coronavirus in Victoria on Saturday, as a testing blitz aiming to amass 100,000 tests in the fortnight to May 11 continued. Three of the latest cases were confirmed due to the testing blitz.
Victoria Police issued 46 fines to people breaching coronavirus restrictions in the 24 hours to Saturday at 11pm, after completing 853 spot checks.
Additional reporting: AAP
More Coverage
Home buyers ready for interest rate cuts
After several months of modest price falls, property experts are not expecting a housing market resurgence off the back of an interest rate cut.
Rise of local terror demands better from our leaders
The scourge of anti-Semitism in Australia has become a runaway train that now demands a radically escalated counter-terror mindset from federal and state governments, police and spy agencies.