No new local cases, Queensland extends ban as Victorian ski-field operators furious at Covid test rule
Victoria has slapped new travel restrictions on NSW in response to a growing Covid outbreak. It comes after news of an alarming breach when a Melbourne nurse contracted the virus.
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The Victorian nurse who tested positive for Covid-19 worked on a dedicated coronavirus hospital ward and across multiple facilities.
The alarming breach was revealed on Thursday morning by the state’s Covid-19 response commander Jeroen Weimar, who said he was “exceptionally concerned and disappointed” that it had happened.
The fully vaccinated nurse, who tested positive to the virus on Tuesday, worked on the Covid ward at Epping Private Hospital where three Arcare residents who were also confirmed cases were relocated about 11 days ago.
Mr Weimar said the Victorian health department had a provision stating staff working in a dedicated Covid-19 ward with positive patients were not to work across multiple sites.
“We have very clear expectations and strong requirements of the designated Covid wards to look after our most vulnerable patients who are suffering with Covid,” he said.
“One of those expectations is that staff are dedicated to that particular ward and do not work elsewhere.
“I’m very concerned and disappointed that this has occurred.
“That should not have been allowed to happen.”
Mr Weimar said the health department would be following up with Epping Private Hospital to seek an explanation on how and why the breach occurred.
As a result, 22 staff at the hospital have been identified as close contacts and are now completing 14 days quarantine.
The nurse also attended a vaccination clinic on June 14 for her final dose of the Covid vaccine.
Read the full version of this story, here.
NEW TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS FOR NSW
Victoria is imposing new Covid-19 restrictions on NSW following an outbreak of the virus, while South Australia and Tasmania have shut their borders to anyone who visited a “high-risk” site.
Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton on Thursday night designated the NSW Local Government Areas of City of Sydney, Waverley and Woollahra as orange zones under Victoria’s travel permit system.
Arrivals into Victoria from these LGAS must now obtain an orange zone permit.
Anyone who has arrived into Victoria from these LGAs from June 11 must isolate, get tested, and remain isolated until they receive a negative test result.
Meanwhile Prof Sutton advised anyone considering travel to Victoria from these areas to reconsider.
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MELB CENTRAL AMONG NEW EXPOSURE SITES
Victoria health authorities have added a number of major retail centres to its growing list of Covid-19 exposure sites.
On Thursday afternoon, central Melbourne Kmart as well as Melbourne Central and QV Melbourne were identified as tier two exposure venues, while a sushi restaurant on Lonsdale Street was added to the tier 1 list.
Sakura Kaiten Sushi II, at 282 Lonsdale St on June 13 between 12:30pm and 1:50pm is now a tier 1 venue, meaning those who were at the restaurant at this time need to get tested and quarantine for 14 days.
Read the full version of this story, here.
TRAVEL CHAOS CONTINUES AS QLD EXTENDS BAN
Victorians’ school holiday plans remain in limbo as Melbourne remains locked out of most states.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk revealed restrictions on travel to Greater Melbourne would remain for another seven days, while announcing permanent travel declaration rules for all travellers entering the northern state.
It comes as New Zealand kept its border with Victoria slammed shut for at least another five days.
New Zealand’s Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said on Thursday the risk of the Covid-19 outbreak in greater Melbourne was decreasing, and accepted public health officials advice was it was “unlikely there is further widespread community transmission in the state”.
But a five-day extension of the ban until 11.59pm Tuesday was “in line with our precautionary approach”.
“New Zealand health officials will keep a close watch on developments in the state but at this point their advice is that we would expect to be in a position to lift the pause at the end of the five-day extension,” Mr Hipkins said.
“This will reviewed if the situation changes.”
It comes as Victoria recorded no new local Covid cases overnight, with a strong turnout of more than 25,600 people tested on Wednesday.
One new case was recorded in hotel quarantine, bringing the total active cases to 54.
TESTING RULE SLAPPED ON SKI-FIELDS
Victorian ski-field operators devastated by last year’s lockdown also say they are being unfairly targeted as a new Covid testing regimen puts a cloud over this year’s snow season.
Melburnians will be able to travel across regional Victoria from Friday, masks will no longer be required outdoors, two adults and their dependants will be able to visit homes, 20 can now gather outside and community sport has been greenlighted.
But those heading to snow resorts will need to prove they have had a negative Covid test less than 72 hours prior to departing, including children as young as three.
Falls Creek Chamber of Commerce president Lisa Logan said: “We are absolutely being victimised by all of this when it’s not required for any other destination.
“Literally before I even knew the news, people were cancelling their bookings.
“The fact that Thredbo and Perisher (in NSW) have been able to operate is like rubbing salt in the wounds. They’re treating us like children.”
Ms Logan, who is also manager of Diana Alpine Lodge, said: “If we lose business through the Victorian school holidays, it’s going to have a hugely devastating effect.”
Victorian Tourism Industry Council’s Felicia Mariani said the testing mandate would have an “undoubtable” impact on the ski fields.
The industry has endured a rough 18 months, losing its 2019-20 summer season to bushfires, while last year’s winter season was cancelled amid the disastrous second wave.
“We have serious concerns for the Alpine sector here. They have a very limited season to operate,” Ms Mariani said.
“It’s been so hard for the folk on the mountain. This is going to be a burden on the people in those areas and it’s definitely going to affect people’s desire to travel.”
Keen snowgoers have also vowed to ditch Victorian resorts, suggesting it would be easier to cross the border to NSW’s ski fields where no Covid test is required.
One woman said: “We are meant to be there this weekend but it’s too short notice for us all to get tested in time … Not happy to get tests every week, if going every weekend.”
Some parents said on social media that they would not visit the mountains because of the requirement for children as young as three to have a Covid test. One mother labelled it “child abuse”.
Alpine Shire Council mayor Cr John Forsyth said he held concerns about ski employees being asked to conduct Covid checks.
A Victoria Police spokesman wasn’t able to confirm on Wednesday night if police had been asked to conduct checks.
“If the government want to make these restrictions, they should be policing it,” Cr Forsyth said.
“This year was starting out to be a promising and good year in terms of snow, so this is a real shame.”
Chief health officer Brett Sutton justified the decision by stating the snow resorts posed a “high-risk environment”.
“The industry has to be protected … a single case infectious on the mountain would be a potential superspreader event,” he said, referring to transmission at resorts across Europe and Canada last year.
“Significant clusters have occurred because of those combinations that I have talked about – indoors, post-exertion, not wearing masks, being with strangers, and the combination of cold and humidity coming together.”
The three big ski resorts were on Wednesday night still working through the details of the new rule.
A Mt Buller spokeswoman said: “We hope this testing requirement will last no more than seven days … and that the requirement for tests before coming to an alpine resort will be removed before the school holidays.
“We will be putting in place processes at the resort gate to minimise inconvenience for guests arriving at the resort.”
Mt Hotham and Falls Creek did not respond to requests for comment.
Despite the slow relaxing of restrictions in metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria announced on Wednesday, authorities warned against complacency.
Three new locally acquired cases were detected at the Southbank apartment complex on Wednesday.
One was a nurse at Epping Private Hospital understood to have caught the virus after treating three elderly Covid patients from Arcare Maidstone.
“We’re obviously very concerned about this new positive case. There’s a full incident-response team that’s working through the circumstances,” Covid-19 commander Jeroen Weimar said.
CASES GROW IN NSW OUTBREAK
Four people have now tested positive to Covid-19 in NSW after two more cases were detected on Thursday.
A 70-year-old woman and a man in his 40s have now been diagnosed with the virus after a limousine driver and his wife from Sydney’s eastern suburbs tested positive on Wednesday.
The driver is a man aged in his 60s who transports international flight crew.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the 70-year-old woman visited a cafe also attended by the driver or his wife.
“We can further update you this morning saying a woman of 70 years of age, who was at the Belle Cafe in Vaucluse has also tested positive. So it’s really, really important for everybody in the eastern suburbs or everybody who may have attended any of those venues to follow the health advice,” she said.
Read the full version of this story, here.
Originally published as No new local cases, Queensland extends ban as Victorian ski-field operators furious at Covid test rule
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