Abattoir worker exposes Victoria’s virus contact tracing ‘shambles’
A whistleblower at a Victorian abattoir has blown the lid off the state’s contact tracing system, revealing a series of delays and bungles and a lack of guidance by the health department after a meat inspector tested positive to coronavirus.
Gaping holes have been exposed in Victoria’s contact tracing after an abattoir whistleblower lifted the lid on a series of delays and bungles during a COVID-19 case earlier this month.
The Herald Sun can reveal Department of Health and Human Services staff failed to alert Australian Food Group in Laverton North to a potential outbreak after one of its workers tested positive.
The company only found out because the meat inspector, who said he had not even been asked where he worked until three days later, self-reported.
The company, which employs 60 staff and supplies pork to Woolworths, said despite several calls to authorities it did not receive clear guidance as authorities battled to contain Victoria’s second wave of COVID-19 cases.
Australian Food Group executive chairman Darren Vincent said he felt “abandoned” while trying to head off a potential outbreak.
The government has defended its contact tracing program, saying staff — now bolstered by interstate reinforcements — are working around the clock.
When the Australian Food Group case was identified on July 8, the company decided to stop production, conducted a deep clean, and ordered staff to go home and get tested.
Almost a week later, the company said it had not received promised information on deep cleaning and safety advice from DHHS.
The infected worker, Quintin Smith, said he was commuting on public transport and Uber before realising he was sick but it took days for anyone to ask detailed questions about who he had seen during the incubation period.
Mr Vincent said: “My view is if he was running a company, Daniel Andrews would be charged with industrial manslaughter by now.
“In my hour of need I was abandoned. WorkSafe weren’t even told we had an issue. They contacted us to discuss our procedures but 100 per cent weren’t aware we had a positive case.”
The government came under intense scrutiny in April after an outbreak at Cedar Meats resulted in 111 people being connected to that cluster. At the time, the health department said it took at “face value” that workers who tested positive had not attended work as claimed.
The government was accused of failing to contact other agencies connected to Cedar Meats, despite it being a high risk industry due to the workers’ proximity.
Mr Vincent said Australian Food Group had contacted DHHS after Mr Smith told them he had been ill and tested positive on July 8.
He was told only close contacts had to be tested for coronavirus and the plant could reopen, with operations recommencing on July 10, as it had handled the situation well.
Opposition health spokeswoman Georgie Crozier said “the contact tracing and follow-up by DHHS is a complete shambles”.
“If the company did not take the action it did, then who knows how many others could have been infected?” she said.
“Victorians are in lockdown not due to bad luck, but due to the Andrews government’s bad decisions around hotel quarantine and a failure to act quickly on clusters.”
A government spokeswoman said there was a massive team of “disease detectives” working to contain the coronavirus, recently boosted by interstate workers.
“All positive cases are required to quarantine and every effort is made to speak to their close contacts as soon as possible,” she said.
“Due to the concentrated efforts in recent days there have been some delays with this process and our team is working quickly to get hold of everyone.
“We have deployed doctors, nurses, medical students, and now paramedics and ADF personnel as part of our growing contact tracing efforts … we’ll continue to provide the team with resources they need to manage this unprecedented global pandemic.”
HOW IT UNFOLDED
JULY 5
Worker tells Australian Food Group management he has been tested for COVID-19 after feeling ill on July 3.
JULY 8
Management notified by worker test is positive. Worker says he wasn’t asked about his job when told of results, but someone would be in touch within 2-3 days.
Company puts product on hold and has meetings about next steps.
JULY 9
Decision made to shut plant, with deep clean carried out. Employees on kill floor and boning room to get tested. Management calls COVID hotline, redirected to DHHS and told to prepare a list of close contacts (15 minutes face-to-face or two hours in closed room). DHHS asks for name of worker to elevate to a priority list. Management told on-site testing not possible so workers sent to pop-up centres. Delivery driver notified he may have been a close contact.
Advice sought from DHHS, told not everyone has to be tested only close contacts.
JULY 10
Staff brought back onsite and basic operations resume. WorkSafe contacts head office about a meat industry survey, but not about COVID-19 positive test.
JULY 11
Contact tracing team calls management for more details and for name of close contacts. Team advised forms had to be filled out regarding deep clean of site and company told it had handled the situation well.
JULY 14
No paperwork for deep clean sent. Operations continue.
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