Coronavirus Australia live news: SA slams border shut as Melbourne cluster grows to 15, next 24 hours ‘critical’
As 15 Covid cases see Melbourne teeter on brink of lockdown, SA shuts border, NSW advises against travel, and Melbourne MPs urged to stay in Canberra.
- SA slams border shut to Greater Melbourne
- Next 24 hours ‘critical’ in Melbourne
- Melbourne cluster grows to 15
- Covid-positive fan at AFL match
- Victorian cluster grows to 9 cases
- US scientists caught in Wuhan web
Welcome to live coverage of the latest developments in Australia’s battle with the coronavirus pandemic. For rolling coverage of the day’s happenings in federal and state politics, our live blog, PoliticsNow, is here.
As Melbourne teeters on the brink of lockdown, South Australia has slammed its border shut, NSW is advising delaying travel to the city, and Melbourne politicians have been urged to stay in Canberra for the weekend.
The Melbourne cluster grew to 15 overnight, as authorities say ‘everything is on the table’ when it comes to further restrictions. Health authorities meanwhile are scrambling to contact footy fans after confirmation a Covid-positive person attended an AFL match at the MCG on Sunday.
Rachel Baxendale10.00pm:Victorian exposure sites reach 70
New exposure sites in Southbank, South Melbourne and Melbourne’s northern suburbs have brought the total number of sites linked to Victoria’s coronavirus cluster to 70.
The new sites listed late on Wednesday evening include the Anytime Fitness Gym in Bundoora on Sunday between 3:40pm and 5:30pm and Monday between 4:50pm and 5:50pm, the Ritchies IGA Pentridge in Coburg between 6:45 and 7:25pm on Monday, and 7-Eleven in Fairfield East between 7:45pm and 8pm on Sunday - all in Melbourne’s north.
Criniti’s Restaurant at Freshwater Place, Southbank, between 6pm and 9:30pm on Sunday, and The Palace Hotel in South Melbourne between 5:45pm and 6:45pm last Friday, are also on the list.
For the full list of exposure sites, visit: https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/exposure-sites
Nicholas Jensen8.50pm:Fears over NSW sports club
NSW Health is urgently contacting anyone from a club in Tooleybuc who attended a sporting event in Cohuna in Victoria on Saturday, May 22, between 12pm-5pm.
The event was attended by a confirmed case of Covid-19. Anyone who attended is requested to immediately self isolate and await further instruction from NSW Health.
NSW health authorities are working to establish increased testing capacity in Tooleybuc and across the state’s Western Riverina region.
NSW Health has yet to name the relevant sporting club.
Nicholas Jensen6.45pm:Queensland travel warning for Victoria
The Queensland government is advising people to postpone any non-urgent travel to Victoria, especially the Greater Melbourne region, as Victorian health authorities continue to investigate the state’s Covid-19 outbreak.
The advice follows NSW Health’s instructions to avoid travel to Greater Melbourne and Bendigo, saying anyone who has been in those regions since May 12 should come forward for immediate testing and isolate until a negative result is received.
QLD Health is requesting anyone who has been in Whittlesea local government area remain “particularly vigilant for signs and symptoms of Covid-19, in light of the community transmission in that area”.
Queensland Health is monitoring the Victorian #COVID19 outbreak. Queenslanders should reconsider any travel to Victoria - especially Greater Melbourne.
— Queensland Health (@qldhealthnews) May 26, 2021
Courtney Walsh 6.40pm:Hawthorn trip to Darwin for AFL cancelled
Hawthorn will not be travelling to Darwin to play the Gold Coast this weekend due to the Covid-19 outbreak in Melbourne.
The AFL was considering on Wednesday night whether to reschedule the match at Metricon Stadium or postpone it.
Rounds in June — when teams will undergo a bye on alternate weekends — provide some flexibility.
Marvel Stadium has joined the MCG as a hotspot after last weekend’s games.
The AFL confirmed a patron carrying Covid-19 attended Essendon’s thrashing of North Melbourne on Sunday.
Fans sitting on Level 1, between Aisles 5 and 28, or Level 3, between Aisles 6 and 29, are advised to immediately get tested and isolate until they receive a negative test.
The Department of Health are also asking anyone else who attended the game and were seated outside of the area’s listed to monitor for symptoms and to get tested if symptoms develop.
Rachel Baxendale 6.35pm: More cases expected
Victoria’s health department has strongly hinted that more coronavirus cases will be confirmed on Thursday.
The daily press release noted that while the department was notified of 10 new cases of coronavirus on Tuesday, which were reported on Wednesday morning, “the department of health will be reporting updated new case numbers every morning”.
A string of new exposure sites have been added to the department’s list throughout Wednesday, with the number of exposure sites now at 61.
The department said the 10 cases confirmed on Wednesday morning included those of a man and two women in their 60s, a man in his 50s, two women in their 30s, and two men and two women in their 20s.
As of Wednesday morning, the department had identified 251 primary close contacts related to exposure sites, of whom 140 had negative test results.
This includes 106 contacts linked to the Stratton Finance exposure site in Port Melbourne.
Rachel Baxendale 66.20pm: Positive case at Marvel Stadium for AFL
Another AFL game has been declared as a coronavirus exposure site, with Victoria’s health department confirming a positive case attended the match between Essendon and North Melbourne at the Docklands’ Marvel Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The alert comes after Sunday’s clash between Port Adelaide and Collingwood at the MCG was declared an exposure site late on Tuesday.
A positive case attended the Essendon/North Melbourne game at Marvel Stadium on Sunday, 23 May.
— VicGovDH (@VicGovDH) May 26, 2021
Individuals sitting on Level 1 between Aisles 5 and 28 or Level 3 in between Aisles 6 and 29 must get tested and stay isolated until they have received a negative result. [1/3] pic.twitter.com/h310WoVtEC
The Victorian health department is advising fans who were sitting on Level 1 between Aisles 5 and 28 of Marvel Stadium, or Level 3 in between Aisles 6 and 29 to get tested and stay isolated until they have received a negative result.
“The department is working with the AFL and Marvel stadium to contact spectators to provide this advice. Some individuals with the closest contact to the positive case will be directly provided more specific advice from the department of health,” the department said.
“Others attending the stadium not located in these areas will be advised to check for symptoms and be tested if any develop.”
Others attending the stadium not located in these areas will be advised to check for symptoms and be tested if any develop.
— VicGovDH (@VicGovDH) May 26, 2021
To see where to get tested, visit https://t.co/WZI0U7Tsqu
To see other exposure sites as they are updated, visit https://t.co/SQ5trZH2NI [3/3]
Rachel Baxendale 66.10pm: Sports club added to exposure list
Victoria’s health department has confirmed a football/netball club near the NSW border as a coronavirus exposure site, almost eight hours after the club let members know a positive case had attended matches on Saturday.
The Cohuna Kangas issued a Facebook post shortly after 9.30am on Wednesday, saying it had received information that an attendee at Saturday’s clash against the Tooleybuc-Manangatang Saints had since tested positive for Covid-19.
Cohuna is located just south of the Murray River, between Echuca and Swan Hill in Victoria’s north.
Wife tried to drop into KMart at Barkly Square (Brunswick) and was greeted with this. Case attended 1:15-2:30pm Sat 22nd May. Can't find any mention of this anywhere yet. #COVID19Vic@MelissaLDavey@BridgetJuneJudd@han_millspic.twitter.com/F49Bq5rl9H
— Nick Devereaux (@nickjdevereaux) May 26, 2021
“At this stage we are awaiting an official announcement from authorities and more information will be provided once this announcement has been made, which we believe will happen at 9.45am today,” the club said in a Facebook post on Wednesday morning.
But the game was not mentioned as a potential exposure site at the Andrews government’s 9.45am press conference and the site was yet not listed on the Health Department website until just before 5pm.
The Health Department alert for 12pm to 5pm on Saturday states that the positive case “watched multiple netball games, visited canteen (inside) and used outdoor public toilets”.
However, the site has only been declared a Tier 2 venue, with attendees required to quarantine only until they receive a negative test result.
Also added to the list of exposure sites late on Wednesday was the Barkly Square shopping centre in the inner northern Melbourne suburb of Brunswick.
Customers who visited Priceline, Kmart or Woolworths in the complex on Saturday between 1.15pm and 2.30pm are advised to get tested and isolate until they receive a negative result.
The stores were closed from at least 12.30pm on Wednesday, with a notice to customers detailing the infected case’s visit, but it was not until shortly before 5pm that the Health Department officially confirmed the exposure site.
Angie Raphael5.45pm:Debt collectors may chase quarantine bills
Debt collectors may be used to recover almost $20m in unpaid hotel quarantine bills from travellers who have stayed in Western Australia during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Responding to questions from Nationals MP Martin Aldridge in parliament, the state government revealed as at April 30, more than 43,000 travellers had stayed in hotel quarantine.
More than 33,000 invoices had been issued and almost 4000 people had part or all of their fee waived due to hardship.
Almost 6000 invoices remain outstanding, totalling more than $19.5m
Health Minister Roger Cook said there had been a backlog to issue the invoices, but it was now a digital system and therefore a much more seamless process.
“We will be expecting everyone to pay their invoice unless they’ve of course been given a waiver,” he told reporters on Wednesday.
Asked if debt collectors would be called in, Mr Cook said: “If necessary. This is a debt which is owed to the state and it will be managed in the usual manner.”
Western Australia recently dumped the Mercure and Four Points by Sheraton hotels from his quarantine system after both were linked to outbreaks and deemed high risk for ventilation issues.
The Novotel is now only being used for very low risk seasonal workers.
Premier Mark McGowan also requested the state’s weekly overseas arrivals cap be permanently halved to 530 people.
READ MORE:Covid-19 inquiry splits US, China
Nicholas Jensen4.47pm:South Australia slams border shut to Melbourne
The South Australian government will enforce a hard border closure with Greater Melbourne from 6pm tonight in response to the state’s growing Covid-19 outbreak.
Premier Steven Marshall says the only people who will be exempted will be essential travellers and returning South Australian, who will need to quarantine for two weeks.
Anybody who has already travelled to South Australia from Greater Melbourne since May 20, and anyone travelling from Bendigo will need to get a test on days one, five and 13 and isolate until a negative result is returned.
South Australia has not put a time frame on how long the border will be closed.
Rachel Baxendale4.40pm:Medical practice, finance business newest exposure sites
The Victorian Health Department’s list of coronavirus exposure sites has again expanded to include a Port Melbourne finance business where at least six staff members have so far tested positive.
Acting Premier James Merlino on Wednesday confirmed that Case Nine in the Whittlesea cluster of 15 cases, is believed to have transmitted the virus to at least five colleagues at Stratton Finance HQ, in Williamstown Rd, Port Melbourne.
Case Nine is a family contact of Case Five, a man in his 60s who is believed to be the index case for the cluster, having likely been infectious for 10 days before he got tested.
Stratton Finance HQ has now been listed as a Tier 1 exposure site for the entire period between Thursday May 20 and Tuesday May 25, with anyone who visited during that time required to quarantine for 14 days and get tested.
Also added to the list of exposure sites is the Doctors on Broadway medical practice in the northern suburb of Reservoir from 2pm to 3:45pm on Tuesday May 18.
Nicholas Jensen4.15pm:NSW advises residents to postpone trips to Melbourne
NSW Health is advising people to postpone non-urgent travel to the Greater Melbourne and Bendigo regions, as Victorian health officials continue to investigate the state’s Covid-19 outbreak.
NSW Health is instructing anyone who has been in the Greater Melbourne or Bendigo region since Wednesday May 12 to check if they have been at a venue of concern, and if so, contact NSW Health immediately and follow relevant public health advice.
Anyone in NSW who has been in Greater Melbourne of the Bendigo area since May 12 should not visit aged care facilities or healthcare facilities unless seeking medical attention or for compassionate reasons. If they show even mild Covic symptoms, they should get tested and isolate until a negative test is received.
NSW Health requests anyone who has been in Whittlesea local government area remain “particularly vigilant for signs and symptoms of Covid-19, in light of the community transmission in that area”.
“They should limit their exposures to high-risk settings, such as pubs, clubs, gyms, large family gatherings and any crowded indoor settings wherever possible for 14 days since they were last in the Whittlesea local government area.”
“Mask use is strongly encouraged in settings where physical distancing is not possible.”
âš ï¸PUBLIC HEALTH ALERT – MELBOURNE CASESâš ï¸
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) May 26, 2021
If you are in NSW and have been in Victoria since 12 May, please check the Victoria Department of Health and Human Services website regularly to see if you have visited any of these venues of concern: https://t.co/A0BBslsHTapic.twitter.com/8pqNPTfuM4
Rachel Baxendale4.06pm:Five-hour delay in naming footy club as exposure site
A community football club in Melbourne’s northwest is yet to be listed by Victoria’s Health Department as a coronavirus exposure site, despite the club announcing five hours ago that a member had tested positive.
Moonee Valley FC issued a statement on its Facebook page shortly after 10am, saying a Mens’ Thirds player, who is a work colleague of a positive case, had himself tested positive on Wednesday morning.
“Any person who attended Ormond Park on Saturday, 22 May from 12pm, (either in the player change rooms or at the Ladies Day Event) or reasonably suspects that a close contact has done so, must get tested immediately and isolate pending your result,” the club said.
“We are awaiting further government advice and will update everyone accordingly.”
At 2.30pm, the club issued a further statement, with the site still yet to be listed by the Health Department as an exposure site.
“The Club has spoken to DHHS and they have advised anyone who was at the Club from 12pm onwards on Saturday 22 May to get tested and isolate until further advice,” the club said.
“We are expecting another call later this afternoon with further information on our exposure site tier level which will include info on who needs to isolate and for how long.
“Stay tuned for further updates.”
Recently departed Moonee Valley mayor Samantha Byrne took to Twitter to ask the Health Department why they were taking so long to provide an update.
Members of the Cohuna Kangas football and netball club in Victoria’s north issued a similar notification on their Facebook page on Wednesday morning, with their club yet to be declared as an exposure site as of 4pm.
Hi @VicGovDH , this was on Facebook 5hrs ago and Ormond Park still isn’t on the exposure page- any update? #COVID19Vic#springstpic.twitter.com/noFznLO8PF
— Samantha Byrne (@SamanthaByrneMV) May 26, 2021
Rachel Baxendale3.50pm:Returned traveller out of quarantine tests positive
A returned overseas traveller who completed hotel quarantine interstate has tested positive for coronavirus after presenting at the Ballarat hospital on Tuesday night.
A Ballarat Health Services spokesperson said the positive result was being re-examined and was believed to be historic and therefore not infectious.
Their Covid test result is currently under investigation,” the spokesperson said.
“Initial investigations suggest that this may be an historic case.
“Further testing is being carried out.
“Out of an abundance of caution, the individual and their close contacts are isolating, including any staff and patients who are required to do so.
“Ballarat Health Services has planned and prepared for situations like this, and this has not impacted our day-to-day operations across the Base Hospital or for those who have emergency needs.”
The Ballarat case comes as Victoria’s Whittlesea cluster – genomically linked to a man who caught coronavirus in an Adelaide quarantine hotel three weeks ago – reaches 15 cases.
READ MORE:Cafe owner’s fury at Covid hotspot
Adeshola Ore3.35pm:Melbourne politicians urged to stay in Canberra
Federal MPs planning to travel to Victoria this weekend when parliament rises have been warned they may face border restrictions when they return to Canberra next week.
Victoria’s coronavirus outbreak has risen to 15 cases, with health authorities saying they will not rule out imposing further restrictions.
A statement from the Presiding Officers advised MPs planning to travel to Victoria to consider remaining in Canberra this weekend.
“MPs and staff who intend to return to Victoria this weekend should be aware ACT entry conditions may change without notice or on very short notice,” it said.
“This may delay or restrict travel back to the ACT next week.”
Anyone in the ACT who visited a close exposure or tier 1 site in Victoria is required by ACT Health to immediately quarantine for 14 days since attending the venue. Everyone in the ACT who has been in the Greater Melbourne area in the past two weeks is required to complete an online declaration form.
Rachel Baxendale3.30pm:Tracing Melbourne’s growing virus cluster
As Victoria’s Whittlesea coronavirus cluster grows, here’s a rundown of how the 15 cases so far relate to one another, and to a man who brought the virus to Victoria from South Australian hotel quarantine 22 days ago.
Wollert case: On May 4, a man in his 30s returned to his Wollert home, on Melbourne’s northern outskirts, having contracted coronavirus in an Adelaide quarantine hotel. He is believed to have been contagious from May 6, and visited a range of venues in Melbourne’s north, inner southwest and CBD before getting tested on May 10 and going back into hotel quarantine on May 11. No further cases have been identified among his close contacts. On May 21 Victoria’s Health Department revealed it had listed the wrong Epping Woolworths as one of the man’s exposure sites, and confirmed it has detected strong positive results for coronavirus in sewage from the Wollert and Epping areas.
Case 1: A second man in his 30s, who lives in the same Whittlesea LGA as the Wollert man, developed symptoms on Thursday May 20 and got tested on Sunday May 23, with his positive test result received by the Health Department on Monday.
Case 2: Case 1’s male relative in his 70s from a different household, who accompanied Case 1 to the testing centre and also tested positive.
Cases 3 & 4: A woman in her 70s who lives with Case 1, and a related preschool-aged child who lives in a third household, tested positive later on Monday.
Case 5: A man in his 60s, who is believed to have been infectious as early as May 15. The man developed symptoms on May 17 and had a business meeting with Case 1 on May 18, but did not get tested until May 24, with his results received on Tuesday May 25. This man is considered to be the index case for all 14 other known cases in the cluster, but it is not known how the virus passed from the Wollert case to this man. Genomic sequencing has confirmed all cases in the cluster originated from the Wollert case.
Cases 6, 7, 8 & 9: These cases are all family contacts of Case 5, who live in a separate household to Case 5.
Cases 10, 11, 12, 14 & 15: These cases are workplace primary close contacts of Case 9 at Stratton Finance in Port Melbourne.
Case 13: Another contact of Case 1.
Health Minister Martin Foley said on Wednesday that as of Tuesday night, the Health Department had identified 301 primary close contacts of the cluster, with 80 of those 301 having returned negative tests.
Those numbers are expected to increase.
Adeshola Ore2.45pm:People ‘thankful’ to live here during pandemic: PM
Scott Morrison says the public is thankful to be living in Australia during the pandemic, as Labor attacks the Morrison government on the vaccine rollout during Question Time.
Opposition health spokesman Mark Butler said Australia’s vaccine rollout was so delayed “we can’t even see the front of the queue.”
“I know every Australian is very happy to be living in Australia during the course of this pandemic,” the Prime Minister said.
He told parliament he was regularly approached by Australians who he said knew they were living “like few are anywhere else in the world.”
“They know the reality — that the government of this country has worked together with other governments at a state and territory level,” he said.
Mr Morrison also accused Labor of “whingeing and complaining” about the vaccine rollout and undermining the government’s ability to “fight the virus” by politicising the issue.
Adeshola Ore2.30pm:Vaccinations hit 3.8 million doses nationwide
Health Minister Greg Hunt says about 3.8 million coronavirus vaccine doses have been administered across Australia.
He said a record number of 104,00 vaccinations were administered on Tuesday.
“Between the general practice and the aged care vaccinations, we’ve seen over 60,000 vaccinations in the last 24 hours, and through the state system, where we have seen approximately 40,000 vaccinations,” he told parliament.
“Those two systems are working together. And what that means is that more Australians are being vaccinated every day. Three weeks ago was a record week. Two weeks ago was another record. Last week was a record. This week, we’ve already seen a record daily number.”
Mr Hunt stressed that the Northern Territory government had requested it take over the responsibility of the Howard Springs facility from the commonwealth.
“What we’re seeing is that that capacity is being expanded. We have already brought home two flights recently from India, and we have seen a far lower rate of positivity,” he said.
Matthew Denholm2.20pm:Tasmania won’t slam door on all Melbourne … yet
Tasmania will not shut its borders to all people arriving from Melbourne – yet.
Those who have been in certain premises linked to Melbourne’s latest coronavirus outbreak, as well as the entire Whittlesea local government area, are banned from entering the state, unless granted essential traveller status.
However, Premier Peter Gutwein said on Wednesday there would be no further border restrictions on Melburnians, unless the situation changed. In this case, he said Tasmania would “act very quickly”.
“Should they (Victoria) make a decision that they do have widespread community transition in Victoria … our public health officials will determine what’s … right for Tasmania,” Mr Gutwein said.
Adeshola Ore2.20pm:Labor attacks PM on quarantine as Vic cases grow
Labor has used Question Time to attack the Morrison government for not establishing a nationwide quarantine system, as Victoria’s coronavirus cluster expands to 15.
Victorian health authorities have not ruled out imposing further restrictions and warned the next twenty-four hours are critical.
Deputy Labor leader Richard Marles accused Scott Morrison of failing to establish a nationwide purpose-built quarantine facility.
Mr Morrison defended the commonwealth’s collaboration with state and territories to create a quarantine system he said had a “99.9 per cent effectiveness rate” and pointed to the government’s $500 million to expand capacity at the Howard Springs centre near Darwin.
Mr Morrison also said he would not “attack the states”, triggering a roar of interjections from Labor.
Speaker of the lower house Tony Smith also booted Employment Minister Stuart Robert and Labor frontbencher Andrew Giles from the chamber.
Joseph Lam1.55pm:Melbourne ‘looking down the barrel’ of lockdown
UNSW epidemiologist Marylouise Mclaws says she believes Melbourne looks as if it will head into another lockdown.
Professor McLaws appearing on Sky News said given the city’s sociable manner, there was a high chance the virus had spread.
“I think they’re looking down the barrel at a three-day lockdown sooner or later,” Professor McLaws said.
“This is a highly connected city, it’s very sociable, it’s easy to get around and therefore the spread is highly probable to spread around the city.”
Asked if Victoria was well-placed to handle the cluster, Professor McLaws said all Australian states could benefit from sharing resources.
“This (cluster is an example of) why we should have much more connection with other states and territories.”
Courtney Walsh1.45pm:Every Melbourne-based AFL player in ‘lockdown’
Every AFL player from Melbourne-based clubs has been put into an effective lockdown as the league seeks to do all it can to ensure the season can progress without interruption.
Footballers, their coaches and other club staff members will only be allowed to leave home to shop for food and supplies, give care to relatives if necessary, exercise and work, which are similar to the protocols all Victorians lived by in 2020 during the two lockdowns.
The AFL has moved to split the AFL groups from their VFL affiliates to minimise the risk of infection. AFL groups can still train together, as per normal, but meeting sizes have been reduced.
Games in Victoria this weekend will progress at this stage with a crowd capacity capped at 85 per cent.
Marvel Stadium will have its roof open for a match for the first time this year for the top-of-the-table clash between Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs, with St Kilda and the Kangaroos set to play at the ground on Saturday.
Joseph Lam1.15pm:‘Quite worrying’: AMA’s AFL match concerns
Australian Medical Association vice president Dr Chris Moy says the call to proceed with a football match in Melbourne this weekend amid a growing cluster of cases is concerning.
Dr Moy on Wednesday told Sky News it was a decision he believes is actually “quite worrying”.
“I think the lever may have to be pressed,” he said.
“So far there hasn’t been a huge number of cases but the number of potential exposure sites is extremely concerning.”
Dr Moy added that he forecast further restrictions should more cases emerge.
“Buttons could be pushed quite quickly if it looks that things aren’t under control.”
Rachel Baxendale1.11pm:Kmart store closes after exposure, no site listing yet
Customers at Kmart Barkly Square in Brunswick in Melbourne’s inner north have been told the store is closed for cleaning after a confirmed coronavirus case visited, but the outlet is yet to appear on the Victorian Health Department’s list of exposure sites.
A notice to customers at the entrance to the store says an infected customer attended between 1:15pm and 2:30pm on Saturday.
Wife tried to drop into KMart at Barkly Square (Brunswick) and was greeted with this. Case attended 1:15-2:30pm Sat 22nd May. Can't find any mention of this anywhere yet. #COVID19Vic@MelissaLDavey@BridgetJuneJudd@han_millspic.twitter.com/F49Bq5rl9H
— Nick Devereaux (@nickjdevereaux) May 26, 2021
Joseph Lam1.10pm:WA campaign urges residents to get flu jab
WA Health is urging residents to get vaccinated for influenza, warning that the viral infection poses a serious health risk.
The health department is running a several-month long media campaign calling for West Australians not to discount influenza in the wake of Covid-19.
“Amid the focus on COVID-19, people are reminded influenza can also cause serious respiratory illness and that immunisation provides the best protection for all ages,” a statement from WA Health read.
Minister for Health media statement: Western Australians urged to get influenza jab https://t.co/kGXhpezrNj
— WA Health (@WAHealth) May 26, 2021
“Young children not only experience high rates of influenza infection and hospitalisation but are a major source of transmission to others. With less than 10 per cent of this cohort currently vaccinated, parents are encouraged to act now to get them immunised.”
State Health Minister Roger Cook said the spread of influenza put a significant amount of increased pressure on hospitals and vaccinations help to reduce that pressure.
“With the onset of colder weather, we expect to see an increase in respiratory virus cases, such as influenza, and with the added risk of COVID-19 outbreaks, there is more reason for everyone to get vaccinated against both viruses.”
READ MORE:Covid-19 outbreak forces Storm to relocate
Rachel Baxendale12.52pm:New exposure sites in Abbotsford, Balwyn
The number of coronavirus exposure sites listed by Victoria’s Health Department now exceeds 50, with new sites recently added in Abbotsford in Melbourne’s inner east, and Balwyn further east.
Dukes Gym in Victoria Street, Abbotsford, between 6:15pm and 8:15pm on Monday, and pilates and yoga studio Endless Lifestyle, in Whitehorse Road, Balwyn, between 9:45am and 12:40pm on Sunday, have been listed as Tier 1 sites.
Anyone who visited either location during the listed periods is required to get tested for coronavirus and quarantine for 14 days.
The full list of exposure sites is available here.
READ MORE: Urgent alert for Victorian venues
Matt Logue12.47pm:Outbreak forces Storm to relocate
The Melbourne Storm will remain on the Sunshine Coast until advised otherwise as the defending champions navigate their season around another Covid-19 outbreak in Melbourne.
Following consultation with the NRL, the Storm has decided to extend its camp at Twin Waters on the Sunshine Coast given the unfolding situation in the Victorian capital with cases increasing.
The Storm play the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium on Thursday night but is expected to return home in round 13 to host the Gold Coast on June 5.
At this stage, this home clash could be relocated to the Sunshine Coast if Melbourne’s Covid-19 outbreak continues to grow.
Rachel Baxendale12.33pm:Covid alert for NSW border
Victoria’s coronavirus cluster could have spread to the NSW border, amid reports a positive case attended the Cohuna Kangaroos football and netball matches on Saturday.
Cohuna is located just south of the Murray River, between Echuca and Swan Hill in Victoria’s north.
On Wednesday morning, the Cohuna Kangas football and netball club issued a Facebook post, saying it had received information that an attendee at Saturday’s clash against the Tooleybuc/Manangatang Saints had since tested positive for Covid-19.
“At this stage we are awaiting an official announcement from authorities and more information will be provided once this announcement has been made, which we believe will happen at 9:45am today,” the club said.
The game was not mentioned as a potential exposure site at the Andrews government’s 9:45am press conference and the site is yet to be listed on the Health Department website.
“There is a bit of mixed information getting around the community and we ask that people await official confirmation from the DHHS as to what the next steps are for people who attended the game on Saturday,” the club said.
“It’s likely that anyone who attended the games on Saturday will be asked to get tested. We are awaiting confirmation of the isolation requirements for people who get tested.
“The Cohuna Complex has been closed until further notice and will undergo a deep clean facilitated by the Gannawarra Shire Council.
“If you are showing any symptoms please get tested immediately.
“We will provide more information as soon as we have it.”
READ MORE:Virus contacts crossed border to Sydney
Mackenzie Scott12.20pm:Outbreak highlights fragile property fundamentals
Melbourne’s residential property market looks likely to cool for winter ahead of other capital cities, with the latest coronavirus outbreak only placing further pressure on the city’s fundamentals.
Last year’s four-month long lockdown in response to the prolonged coronavirus outbreak restricted housing market operations and made it the last capital to begin its house price recovery.
Auction numbers have been strong and homes have sold at pace over the past six months, but Melbourne’s annualised gains of 2.2 per cent make it the worst performing capital city in the country and significantly behind the similar Sydney market (7.5 per cent in the year to April).
Rachel Baxendale12.15pm:parliament still not using Service Victoria app
Victoria’s parliament still isn’t using the state government’s Service Victoria QR code check-in app, eight months after other states and territories made their government check-in apps compulsory at public venues, and two days before the app becomes mandatory.
While NSW and the ACT introduced an official QR code app in September last year, Victoria did not introduce its app until November 30, meaning many businesses and venues, including state parliament, have been continuing to use their own systems.
The lack of a uniform check-in system has been blamed for poor levels of compliance at hospitality venues and other businesses, as Victoria battles a growing cluster of 15 coronavirus cases.
From this Friday May 28, it will become compulsory for all businesses to use the government app to keep electronic records of all visitors.
Almost a fortnight ago, the Andrews government announced it would punish venues which did not comply with on-the-spot fines of $1652, and fines of up to $9913 for repeated noncompliance.
Opposition Leader Michael O’Brien used Question Time on Wednesday to ask Government Services Minister Danny Pearson whether he could guarantee that the government’s “delay in mandating a single QR code, as has operated in New South Wales for many months now, has not put Victoria at risk of yet another lockdown”, noting that even state parliament is yet to adopt the app.
Mr Pearson said the question about parliament may be better directed to Speaker Colin Brooks as a presiding officer.
“It is my expectation that the parliament will have the Service Victoria app in place within the relevant time periods,” Mr Pearson said.
“Every step along the way we’ve been encouraging the QR code providers to be active.
“We’ve now mandated that with Service Victoria, and Service Victoria as an app is doing extremely well. It’s one of the most popular apps being downloaded. It’s been used by more than 30 million check-ins by more than 90,000 businesses.”
READ MORE:Virus contacts crossed border to Sydney
Joseph Lam12pm:Berejiklian: Vic outbreak could happen anywhere
Residents who have visited Covid-19 exposure sites in greater Melbourne and have since returned to NSW will not be treated differently and will still be required to get tested and isolate, authorities say.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian on Wednesday said that vaccination rates were too low for any special provisions to be provided.
âš ï¸REMINDER: VICTORIAN ARRIVALS INTO NSWâš ï¸
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) May 25, 2021
People arriving in NSW from the Greater Melbourne area are reminded that they must complete an online declaration form which confirms they have not attended one of the venues of concern. pic.twitter.com/iLBAi4wAXh
“When we ask questions about if people can be treated differently when they are vaccinated, we can’t right now because people have not been vaccinated enough,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“We are still in very initial stages of getting our population vaccinated, and that is why it is really essential – when you look around the world, look at what is happening in Victoria – that could happen in any state in Australia.”
“The more people vaccinated, the more we can look at those issues in the future.”
Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant backed Ms Berejiklian’s comments, saying that “no vaccine is 100 per cent effective”.
“When we are striving to achieve no community transmission, we cannot have any risk, so at the moment, regardless of your vaccination status, if you have been to a high-risk venue, you are required to quarantine for 14 days.”
Courtney Walsh11.50am:AFL players pack extra gear, just in case
Carlton star Jacob Weitering said the experience of spending months in an AFL hub last year has prepared players for the prospect of spending time on the road again this year.
The Blues will head to NSW far earlier than planned for a clash against the Swans on Sunday as a precautionary measure given the Covid-19 outbreak in Victoria.
Essendon left Melbourne earlier on Wednesday for Perth, where they will undergo a Covid-19 test and then isolate until receiving the all clear.
The Western Bulldogs, meanwhile, have received the all clear after undergoing tests after it was revealed a staff member had been at a hotspot at the Highpoint Shopping Centre.
The AFL was in contact with clubs on Tuesday night informing them that travel plans for this weekend would be brought forward.
“We got the message last night that we would be flying out this afternoon and it was just a bit of a mad scramble to pack bags, get the test done and then get over to Sydney for the big game,” Weitering told SEN Radio.
“It’s nothing new. I guess it’s putting out our families and partners a little bit, but the AFL has assured us we will be getting back on Sunday night and we’ll just focus on the game from here.
“I’ll be packing for longer than Sunday just to be sure. The AFL has been terrific and understanding we’ve been through this all of last year, processes have been put in place for us to get up there safely, play the game and then get back home.
“I’m not too sure of the details once we’re (in Sydney). As far as I know, it is to get a test, which most of the boys have done, get the negative result back, which I assume will be pretty quick. The flight is at 4pm, (so we will) get up there at 6pm and get to the hotel.
“I’m not too sure what it looks like for us training tomorrow and what we’ll be allowed to do, whether we’re allowed to leave the hotel. It will be interesting to see.”
READ MORE:Clubs flee Melbourne
John Ferguson11.45am:Authorities torn between no lockdowns, virus reality
It’s clear that hotel quarantine, in its current form, simply isn’t working. But there are also underlying problems in the way the vaccine rollout is being handled. Read more here
Joseph Lam11.28am:NSW records two new cases in quarantine
NSW recorded two new cases of Covid-19 among overseas travellers in the 24 hours to 8pm last night.
NSW recorded no new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night. Two overseas-acquired cases were reported in the same period, bringing the total number of cases in NSW since the beginning of the pandemic to 5,387. pic.twitter.com/eCp2lzVq3l
— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) May 26, 2021
The state on Tuesday enacted provisions for anyone arriving in NSW from Greater Melbourne. All travellers are required to complete an online declaration form to confirm they have not attended one of the venues of concern.
READ MORE:Worrying revelation about virus cases
Adrian McMurray11.20am:Panic buying hits Melbourne supermarkets
It didn’t take long … panic buying has returned in Melbourne. Despite no change in restrictions regarding supermarkets, restaurants, cafes and other venues, Melbourne residents are back stripping shelves of toilet paper.
The Australian’s media writer Sophie Elsworth spotted this in one of the Victorian capital’s bayside suburbs.
Here goes the ridiculous panic buying again - bayside Melbourne. #COVID19Vic#lockdown#Melbourne 😷 pic.twitter.com/GXzbUso35P
— Sophie Elsworth (@sophieelsworth) May 26, 2021
On Tuesday outdoor gatherings were limited to 30 people, only five visitors are now allowed at each private residence, while masks are mandatory indoors. There have been no new restrictions introduced so far on Wednesday.
READ MORE:Urgent virus alert for 48 venues
Joseph Lam10.45am:Next 24 hours ‘critical’ in Melbourne
Victorian authorities say the key to their state getting past its current Covid-19 cluster lays within the next 24 hours.
Their warning came after the state recorded six new cases of Covid-19 overnight, bringing the cluster total to 15 cases.
Victoria chief health officer Brett Sutton, Acting Premier James Merlino and Health Minister Martin Foley expressed their concerns on Wednesday while declaring that a number of night-life venues in Melbourne’s Prahran, some 7km from the CBD, had been visited by a positive Covid-19 case.
Mr Merlino told the public that while the state was happy with an increased number of vaccinations, the next 24 hours were crucial.
“We can get on top of this if people get tested and if people follow public health advice in regard to exposure sites,” Mr Merlino said.
“We can follow this chain of transmission and can get on top of this, but the next 24 hours will be critical.”
Professor Sutton added that “everything is on the table” when it comes to further restrictions.
READ MORE:Tell us the truth about Covid: we can take it
Joseph Lam10.37am:Victoria doubles its daily jab totals
Victoria administered more than 15,000 Covid-19 vaccines over the past 24 hours, a figure almost double that of the previous day.
The state administered a total of 15,858 vaccines, up from 8269 in the 24 hours to Tuesday.
Acting Premier James Merlino said the uptake in vaccines was something the state would like to see more of.
“We can replicate yesterday’s number every day and do more, and people see the incentive,” he said.
“We know that the best way to defeat outbreaks and the best way to defeat the pandemic is the successful rollout of the commonwealth vaccine program and, secondly, to have an alternative quarantine system, particularly for our most at risk individuals.
“As I have said a number of times, we have the capacity to do two to three times what we have been doing, and we saw that yesterday.”
READ MORE:Vaccination still best Covid strategy
Joseph Lam10.20am:Concerns over spread near Somewhere, Three Monkeys, Circus
Victorian authorities are scrambling to track down and test anyone who visited a number of bars and clubs in Prahran, Melbourne, over the weekend.
Victoria Health Minister Martin Foley said a positive case had travelled through the area’s night-life district late on Saturday through to the early hours on Sunday.
“Three venues are of concern after a positive case visited them on Saturday night and Sunday morning,” Mr Foley said.
Mr Foley said it was crucial for anyone who had been to or nearby the venues of concern to get tested and go into isolation.
Mr Foley also had a message for those who may have issues remembering their whereabouts in the suburb.
“If you don’t know where you were then you should call the coronavirus hotline just to get reassurance.”
The venues of concern are:
Three Monkeys, 210 Chapel St, Prahran, between 9pm and 11pm
Somewhere Bar, 181 Chapel St, Prahran, between 10.30pm and 1am
Three Monkeys, 210 Chapel St, Prahran, between 12.30am and 2am
Circus Bar, 199 Commercial Rd, South Yarra, between 1.30am and 4.15am
READ MORE:Maps shows footy fans in Covid danger zone
Joseph Lam10.08am:AFL prepared for MCG outbreak: Merlino
Victoria Acting Premier James Merlino says football stadiums were prepared for a potential Covid-19 outbreak.
Mr Merlino on Wednesday said health teams had been preparing for an outbreak over the past few months with large events.
“There’s been extensive work over a long period of time between our health team and our stadium management,” Mr Merlino said.
“The AFL and the MCC have prepared for this moment”.
Mr Merlino said the health department would continue to work with the AFL and MCC to rule out any potential spread of the virus.
“There’s some more work to do, particularly looking at CCTV footage.”
READ MORE:AFL clubs flee Melbourne
Joseph Lam9.56am:Six new cases, Melbourne cluster grows to 15
Victoria recorded six new cases of Covid-19 overnight bringing the state total to 15 cases. Across the state there are 23 cases recovering from the virus.
Joseph Lam9.43am:Queensland declares Melbourne hotspot
Queensland has recorded one new case of Covid-19 overnight among an overseas returned traveller.
Wednesday 26 May – coronavirus cases in Queensland:
— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) May 25, 2021
• 0 new local cases
• 1 overseas acquired case
• 16 active cases
• 1,611 total cases
• 2,605,321 tests conducted
Sadly, seven people with COVID-19 have died. 1,580 patients have recovered.#covid19pic.twitter.com/XDiX0WEEAD
The state has declared the City of Whittlesea in Melbourne a hotspot, requiring anyone arriving into Queensland who has visited the area since May 11 to go into hotel quarantine unless they hold an exemption.
Queensland Health will declare the City of Whittlesea local government area a COVID-19 hotspot, as Victoria’s cluster grows to nine cases.https://t.co/ZCQyVaa9gP
— Queensland Health (@qldhealthnews) May 25, 2021
From 1am Thursday anyone entering Queensland from Victoria is required to fill out a border declaration. Those who have visited Whittlesea since May 11 will be turned away unless they are a resident, in which case they will go into hotel quarantine.
READ MORE:Bulldogs Covid scare over as teams flee Melbourne
Rachel Baxendale9.33am:Another bar added as Melbourne exposure site
Another bar in Chapel St, Prahran, in Melbourne’s southeast has been added to Victoria’s list of coronavirus exposure sites.
Victoria’s Health Department has now added both the Three Monkeys Bar and Somewhere Bar to its list, following a lag between Three Monkeys issuing alerts through social media and the department listing the site on its website.
Both sites have been listed as Tier 1 sites overnight on Saturday night into Sunday morning, with anyone present at the time required to get tested for coronavirus and quarantine for 14 days.
The exposure period for Somewhere Bar is listed as 10:30pm on Saturday to 1am on Sunday.
More information on exposure sites is available on the Health Department website, where 48 exposure sites are now listed, including sites in Melbourne’s CBD, north, west, southeast and in Central Victoria.
The Circus Bar in Commercial Rd, South Yarra, has also been listed as an exposure site between 1:30am and 4:15am on Sunday morning.
READ MORE:Virus spreads 160km from Melbourne
Rachel Baxendale9.29am:AFL crowds permitted this weekend: Minister
Football crowds will be permitted at the MCG and Docklands this weekend, despite Victoria’s coronavirus cluster reaching 14 cases, Sports Minister Martin Pakula says.
Mr Pakula said Victoria’s public health team was satisfied it could successfully contact trace any possible coronavirus cases, after a positive case attended Sunday’s clash at the MCG between Collingwood and Port Adelaide.
“There will be crowds at the footy this weekend,” Mr Pakula said on his way in to state parliament on Wednesday morning.
He said Marvel Stadium in Docklands would likely have the roof open, with added rules around masks.
A statement from the AFL is set to be issued “likely before lunchtime”, Mr Pakula said.
READ MORE: Clubs flee Melbourne
Joseph Lam9.21am:Restrictions on the way, expert warns
A University of Melbourne epidemiologist says he expects significant changes to be brought into Victoria on Wednesday as five further cases of Covid-19 were recorded.
Professor Tony Blakely said it’s time Melburnians started becoming proactive and reducing their travel.
“Now hearing that there has been another five cases reported overnight with no details I’m getting quite concerned,” Professor Blakely said.
‘We do, unfortunately, have a problem on our hands.”
Professor Blakely said a best-case scenario for Victoria would be if those who had tested positive had not travelled much over the past week.
“The more likely scenario is that they were scattered around a little bit.”
READ MORE: Vaccination still best Covid strategy
Rachel Baxendale9.05am:Melbourne cluster grows to 14
Five more coronavirus cases overnight have taken Victoria’s latest cluster to 14.
Acting Premier James Merlino, Health Minister Martin Foley and chief health officer Brett Sutton are due to provide an update at a press conference scheduled for 9:45am.
Reported yesterday: 10 new local cases and no new cases acquired overseas.
— VicGovDH (@VicGovDH) May 25, 2021
- 15,858 vaccine doses were administered
- 26,180 test results were received
More later: https://t.co/lIUrl0ZEco#COVID19Vic#COVID19VicDatapic.twitter.com/BCp1fpOLJB
Wednesday’s official Health Department numbers include 10 new cases, including five cases which were made public on Tuesday.
The cluster has prompted Victorians to get tested and vaccinated, with 26,180 tests processed on Wednesday compared with 14,892 on Tuesday, and 15,858 vaccines administered by the state Health Department, compared with 8269 on Tuesday.
READ MORE:Cluster forces return to restrictions
Adeshola Ore8.41am:Cluster ‘highlights national quarantine, rollout needs’
Opposition health spokesman Mark Butler says Melbourne’s Covid-19 outbreak highlights the need for a national quarantine system and the importance of boosting vaccine distribution.
Victoria was forced to reintroduce Covid-19 restrictions across Melbourne after a cluster of cases in the city’s northern suburbs grew to nine infections.
“This is the 17th outbreak from hotel quarantine. It appears that this outbreak in Melbourne is connected to a man catching Covid-19 while in hotel quarantine in Adelaide – the 17th in just the last six months,” he told the ABC.
“And it’s why we have been saying so strongly to the Prime Minister, ‘we need to speed up the vaccine rollout, but we also need a safe national quarantine system.’ We can’t continue to see these outbreaks from a quarantine system based around hotels, which were built for tourism, not medical quarantine..”
Mr Butler said the key problem with the vaccine rollout was poor distribution, not supply.
“We have a substantial supply of vaccines right now. We’re receiving about 1.4 million doses per week being delivered to the commonwealth, but only about 500,000 are being put into people’s arms,” he said.
“So, the problem is not supply right now – it hasn’t been for a number of weeks – the problem is the distribution system that the commonwealth has set up is not working properly.
READ MORE: Bowditch standing up for music’s future
Rachel Baxendale 8.10am: Prahan bar, RMIT added to exposure site list
A bar in Chapel St, Prahran, in Melbourne’s inner southeast, says it has been classified as a Tier 1 coronavirus exposure site after a coronavirus positive patron visited between 9:10pm on Saturday and 1.30am on Sunday.
However, Victoria’s Health Department is yet to list the Three Monkeys Bar as an exposure site on its website, prompting concern that the state’s contact tracers are again battling to stay ahead of the latest cluster.
Anyone who visited the bar during the exposure period is required to get tested and quarantine for 14 days.
Another location not yet on the list. How long does it take? If a business Is notified - people want to know! pic.twitter.com/JC5HQEgVKu
— Jacqueline Felgate (@Jacquifelgate) May 25, 2021
RMIT has also notified students and staff that its Buildings 56 and 57 have been declared as exposure sites, but the university is yet to be added to the Health Department’s website.
READ MORE: Editorial – Vaccination still best Covid strategy
Joseph Lam7.35am:More vaccinations ‘would have curbed outbreak’
A Melbourne epidemiologist says her city’s latest cluster could have had a different outcome had more Australians had been vaccinated.
Deakin University epidemiologist Catherine Bennett on Wednesday told the ABC that if more people were vaccinated, the spread could have been curbed.
“We might have had half the people infected even if some of these had only recently had a first dose,” Professor Bennett said.
“We have heard that the people over 50 who were eligible for vaccination here have not been vaccinated and it might have changed the outcome.”
“You know, it takes a while to build up immunity but you start to get some immunity after your first dose, within those first couple of weeks, so if you get vaccinated now, if there is virus in the community, that then protects you going ahead.”
Professor Bennett said she hoped the new cluster would encourage more people to get vaccinated.
“Vaccination is really important and now is the time to think about trying to book that in if you’re eligible.”
READ MORE: Albrechtsen – Tell us the truth about Covid, we can take it
Joseph Lam7.30am:MCG zoning system key to stopping outbreak
Deakin University epidemiologist Catherine Bennett says while a positive case at the MCG was alarming, the stadium’s Covid-19 safe measures provided some reassurance for those who watched the game.
“What we do know, though, is the MCG operates with a strict zoning system, so that does start to bring back the number of people that are in that more kind of close watch and potential contact group,” Professor Bennett said.
Zoning and resources would assist stadium officials in tracing a potentially infected person’s movements, she said.
“They can look at the different levels as well and they’re monitoring CCTV to understand that person’s movement, just to really fully assess who else they might need to contact. I do think that’s a reasonably low risk.”
READ MORE:Covid-19 cluster forces return to restrictions
Joseph Lam7.15am:Covid-19 complacency not an option: Lloyd
The chief executive of Victoria’s City of Whittlesea Council says the recent outbreak in Melbourne is a stark reminder that complacency is not an option.
Craig Lloyd this morning told the ABC the spike in cases came as a shock to those in his district.
“I think honestly a bit of complacency slipped into our community and generally right across Victoria and maybe broader than that,” Mr Lloyd said.
“Coughs and colds become normal in the winter period and I think people have put it down to that, assuming that it’s not Covid-19.”
City of Whittlesea Council is working with NSW Health to set up more testing sites and ensure the community are aware of the latest updates.
“Our focus at the moment, as I said, is getting the word out, making sure that everyone, no matter what language they speak, where they live, if they live in the city of Whittlesea, that they do go and get themselves tested if they’ve been to a site or they have any symptoms,” Mr Lloyd said.
“It’s quite a stark reminder that the virus is still out there.”
COVID-19 Update for City of Whittlesea: 25 May. @VicGovDH has introduced restrictions to help stop the spread of COVID-19.
— City Of Whittlesea (@CityWhittlesea) May 25, 2021
[1/4] https://t.co/crUlfTGsyS
READ MORE:Janet Albrechtsen — Tell us the truth about Covid-19: we can take it
Rachel Baxendale6.45am:MCG, RMIT among 20 new Covid-19 sites
The MCG, RMIT University, a string of venues in Port Melbourne and a small town near Bendigo in Central Victoria are among more than 20 new coronavirus exposure sites from Victoria’s latest cluster.
The Victorian Health Department says a person with coronavirus attended the Collingwood/Port Adelaide game at the MCG on Sunday, 23 May – sitting in Zone 4, Level 1 of the Great Southern Stand (the Punt Rd end of the stand).
“People seated in Zone 4, Level 1 – those with a bay between M1 & M16 on their match ticket – will be contacted directly with advice to get tested & isolate until negative,” the department said.
RMIT issued a statement overnight, saying Buildings 56 and 57 on its city campus would be closed, after an external contractor worked on Level Two of Building 56 between 8am and 10.30am last Friday.
Two cafes and a pub in Port Melbourne have been added to the list of exposure sites, which was previously confined to Melbourne’s northern and western suburbs and CBD.
The Axedale Tavern, near Bendigo, is also listed as a Tier 1 exposure site, after a positive case attended a function there between 11:45am and 1:30pm last Sunday.
Bendigo’s Hairfolk hairdressing salon has been listed as a Tier 2 site after a case attended between 9:40am and 10:10am last Sunday.
People who were present at Tier 1 sites are required to get tested and quarantine for 14 days, while those who visited Tier 2 sites must test and isolate until they receive a negative result.
Also among the venues added to the list are a bar in Fitzroy North at which a positive case attended a party, a cafe and a service station in Coburg, a range of new venues throughout the cluster epicentre of Epping, an Indian supermarket and three fruit shops in Lalor, an Indian grocery store in Reservoir, a Bunnings in Mill Park, refrigeration and automotive stores in Thomastown, and a cafe in Thornbury.
More information on exposure sites is available on the Health Department’s website.
READ MORE:Editorial — Vaccination still the best strategy against Covid-19
Courtney Walsh5am:Snap lockdown fears after MCG Covid case
Victorian health authorities are scrambling to contact fans who attended the thriller between Collingwood and Port Adelaide at the MCG on Sunday.
An alert from the Victorian Government Department of Health issued shortly before midnight on Tuesday said a person positive to Covid-19 had attended the game. An estimated 23,000 people were at the ground.
“People seated in Zone 4, Level 1 — those with a bay between M1 and M16 on their match ticket — will be contacted directly with advice to get tested & isolate until negative,” the alert read.
“Further reviews of CCTV footage will be undertaken to determine if the advice to test and isolate will be broadened beyond these areas.
A positive case attended the Collingwood/Port Adelaide game at the MCG on Sunday, 23 May – sitting in Zone 4, Level 1 of the Great Southern Stand (the Punt Rd end of the stand).
— VicGovDH (@VicGovDH) May 25, 2021
[1/6]
“Some individuals with the closest contact to the positive case will be directly provided more specific advice from the Department of Health. Others attending the MCG not located in these areas will be advised to check for symptoms and be tested if any develop.
“The AFL and the MCC have prepared for this situation in multiple simulations, with contact information linked to ticketing data and QR codes. We are grateful for their contribution to Victoria’s public health response.”
The alert comes as health officials and the government consider whether to introduce capacity restrictions on matches played this weekend in Victoria due to the spate of Covid-19 positives.
Essendon is also due to fly to Perth to play West Coast and will have to isolate until returning a positive test in the Western Australian capital.
After months of awesome progress, looks like Melbourne may be going back into lockdown 😔 fingers crossed we don't.
— BossLogic (@Bosslogic) May 25, 2021
The L word is getting closer. Would be somewhat cruel, but poetic if our 4th lockdown was announced on the 1st anniversary of the start of our 2nd wave. #COVID19Vic#Melbournehttps://t.co/OmQ6kwilme
— Ben Kimber (@BenKs_World) May 25, 2021
READ MORE:Western Bulldogs in quarantine after staff member’s Highpoint visit
Rachel Baxendale4.45am:Victoria’s Covid-19 cluster grows to nine cases
Victoria has been forced to reintroduce Covid-19 restrictions across Melbourne after a cluster of cases in the city’s northern suburbs grew to nine infections.
Genomic testing has confirmed the cases were linked to a man who tested positive after he had returned to Victoria from quarantining in an Adelaide hotel.
At the centre of the cluster is a man in his 60s — the fifth case — who became symptomatic last Monday but was only tested a week later after being identified as a close contact of a previous case.
Victorian health officials say there could be more cases linked to the traveller who had returned from Adelaide, with the missing link between the man and the rest of the infections not yet found.
Among the new restrictions announced by Acting Premier James Merlino is a limit of five visitors to the family home. Outdoor gatherings are limited to 30 people, with masks mandatory indoors. However, there has been no change to rules governing restaurants, cafes and other venues.
The Melbourne cluster is Australia’s first outbreak of the highly-contagious Indian variant of coronavirus. Health officials were last night meeting with Victorian government ministers to determine the next steps in combating the outbreak, with a snap lockdown not ruled out.
“This is a responsible step that we need to take to get on top of this outbreak … It’s about giving our contact tracers the time they need to track this matter down and get on top of it,” Mr Merlino said.
Read the full story here.
Sharri Markson4.30am:US scientists caught in Wuhan web of intrigue
Inside America’s highly secretive biological research site at Fort Detrick, Maryland, are biosafety level-four laboratories.
Soldiers guard the premises that house America’s bio-defence agency, the US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases.
It’s the last place on Earth you would expect to have developed ties with Wuhan Institute of Virology researchers who, in turn, are engaging in secret Chinese military activity.
An investigation by The Australian has revealed senior personnel at USAMRIID — its chief science officer, a laboratory director, a former commander and a research contractor — have been involved with the Wuhan Institute of Virology, even visiting its laboratories where risky research on coronaviruses took place.
China’s attempts to deflect attention from the Wuhan laboratory by claiming Covid-19 arrived in the city through frozen food or originated in a US military laboratory have been denounced as false conspiracy theories.
Read the full story here.
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