Mystery cluster could spark three-day snap lockdown

Victoria could be back in lockdown in a matter of hours, with authorities to reveal details of a return to strict restrictions to stem the latest Covid outbreak.

Key ministers are meeting Thursday afternoon to sign off on the reintroduction of significant new restrictions to take effect from tonight after further positive Covid cases emerged on Thursday morning.

The restrictions are being considered as an attempt to throw a ring around Victoria’s latest Covid outbreak.

The Herald Sun understands the option being favoured is an immediate return to the five reasons to leave home.

They could include Victorians again only being able to go out to get food and supplies, for exercise, for care or caregiving, for work or education or to get vaccinated.

An official announcement is expected within hours.

The government is locked in discussions with health authorities about whether the shutdown is required from midnight, although consideration is also being given to starting any lockdown before midnight.

Sources said authorities were keen to avoid a potential “superspreader” event, with people trying to gather one last time before a midnight lockdown.

Medical staff arrive at Al-Taqwa College in Truganina after a teacher tested positive. Picture: NCA NewsWire/David Crosling

Premier Daniel Andrews addressed the new cluster on Thursday, but hinted that any announcements on a lockdown would be made later in the afternoon.

“There will be a series of meetings this afternoon, as there was this morning,” he said.

“What I can indicate obviously, is that the government’s priority is to avoid what’s going on in Sydney. We have got to do everything we can to avoid cases getting out of control like they are in Sydney.

“We send our best wishes to everybody in Sydney. They are doing it very tough at the moment.

If you look at the Doherty (Institute’s) model … everybody has been very clear about the fact there’s only one real way to deal with Delta outbreaks, but it’s too early for us to say what will happen in relation to these cases.

“We are still waiting on interviews, on test results, genomic sequencing. There’s a lot of work going on this morning and there will be more go on throughout the day.”

Authorities are battling to suppress a potential new outbreak, with three cases under investigation.

There are fears a teacher may have unknowingly been infectious for days while continuing to teach at Al-Taqwa College in Truganina.

A football club in Melbourne’s west has also been placed on high alert after a Newport Football Club player tested positive on Wednesday.

The player is understood to be a household contact of the Al-Taqwa teacher.

Fifteen new exposure sites were identified by the health department this morning, eight of which have been listed as Tier 1.

Originally published as Mystery cluster could spark three-day snap lockdown