22 new local Covid cases; Melbourne to mark six-month lockdown milestone

Victoria has recorded 22 new cases — its highest spike in Covid cases since September — while one airline has suspended flights across its network.

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Twenty-two new locally acquired cases of coronavirus have been detected in the Victorian community — the biggest spike since 28 infections were recorded on September 22 last year.

The new cases are all linked to current outbreaks, according to the Department of Health.

The figures come after a record testing day, with more than 59,000 people turning out to get a test.

It brings the total number of cases during this nine-day outbreak to 107, with five of those in hospital, including one case — linked to the Barwon Heads cluster — in intensive care.

Of the 22 new cases announced today, 16 were in quarantine during their entire infectious period.

Health Minister Martin Foley said the remaining six cases had “low level of exposure sites, thanks to the current lockdown”.

“Two days ago, there were only 6 per cent of our daily cases who were fully isolating in quarantine. Today it is 73 per cent which have been fully isolated during their period of infectivity.”

There are more than 18,000 primary close contacts linked to Victoria’s current Delta outbreak and a further 10,000 secondary close contacts.

“Because of the nature of how this outbreak started, with so many Victorians just going about their normal life at some significant events, what we’ve seen … is a really high number of people getting caught up as either primary or secondary contacts,” Mr Foley said.

“If Victoria wasn’t managing those secondary close contacts as tightly as we are now, the advice that we have is that this virus would have got beyond us already. It has not.”

Mr Foley thanked the 28,000 primary and secondary close contacts who have been in isolation.

“This is a big number and I want to thank all of those Victorians for the huge effort they are putting in keeping us all safe and doing the hard yards for us all to get ahead of this.”

Mr Foley said there were worrying signs the virus was lingering in Phillip Island after sewage tests revealed traces of Covid.

This is despite the known positive cases having returned to Melbourne.

“A couple of days in a row of testing when the cases associated with Phillip Island, to the best of our knowledge, have returned to metropolitan Melbourne, makes us concerned that perhaps there is undetected cases in the Phillip Island and San Remo communities,” Mr Foley said.

Prof Sutton said he believed the number of community transmissions had likely peaked but said we could still see daily figures higher than the 22 recorded on Wednesday.

He also said there was a greater risk of positive cases being hospitalised.

“We’ll probably see more (people) in ICU. It is a more infectious variant and the estimates are that it is a more severe variant as well,” Prof Sutton said.

“The likelihood of hospitalisation for those unvaccinated is two or three times greater than other variants.”

FLIGHTS GROUNDED

Rex Airways has suspended flights across its network in response to the lockdowns and state border closures around the country.

In a statement, the airline said New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Queensland and Tasmania flight routes have been temporarily suspended or greatly reduced.

Australia’s largest regional airline will operate at reduced capacity until the end of the state government imposed border closures and lockdowns.

All customers who made a booking directly with the airline will be entitled to a refund, which will take 2-3 days to process.

“This gives our passengers a complete peace of mind to make their flight bookings without worry of any snap lockdowns and subsequent loss of money,” said Rex Deputy Chairman John Sharp.

The suspension of flights is a heavy blow for the regional airline which expanded into the capital cities market earlier this year.

The move was touted as one of the biggest shake-ups in Australian aviation history, providing a direct challenge to Qantas and Virgin.

BREAKDOWN OF THE LATEST CASES

Of the 22 new cases announced on Wednesday morning:

• 5 are linked to Trinity Grammar, including one staff member, two students and two household contacts

• 5 are linked to Ms Frankie, including two staff, one patron and two household contacts

• 3 are linked to Young & Jackson and are workplace contacts of a positive patron

• 3 are linked to St Patrick’s Primary in Murrumbeena, including two students and one household contact

• 2 are linked to AAMI Park, both patrons seated within two to three rows of the index case

• 2 are linked to Bacchus Marsh Grammar — both are household contacts

• 1 is linked to the West Gate Tunnel worker, a workplace contact

• 1 is a family member of Tuesday’s mystery case, a woman in her 20s who has since been linked to the Coolaroo cluster (City of Hume household)

‘HIGH SUSPICION’ OF OUTDOOR TRANSMISSION

Chief health officer Brett Sutton said it was concerning to see outdoor transmission at AAMI Park between people seated a couple of rows from the positive case.

“We do still have some concerns obviously about AAMI Park and the MCG with the levels of transmission that have occurred there,” he said.

“With the additional two cases today at AAMI Park, outdoor transmission, not seated absolutely adjacent to the index case but a couple of rows away — that’s not unheard of in indoor areas but to occur outdoors is of some concern.”

“We have a high suspicion of outdoor transmission at the MCG, as well.

“We can’t say absolutely that people didn’t come into contact and not QR code check-in at a toilet, at a food venue. But we’ve got no evidence of that for some of the individuals who were seated outside. So we think that there’s been outdoor transmission there, as well.”

But Prof Sutton said while 22 cases was a large number, there were good signs Victoria was getting on top of it.

“Twenty-two (cases) is a large number, it might have looked concerning … but 16 of 22 were fully isolated for their entire infectious period and that is a really good sign,” he said.

“That has changed dramatically in the last few days. I expected to be improving over time. It may even be that within a couple of days we don’t see anyone who has been out in the community for any of their infectious period … we’re absolutely going in the right direction so there is much to be hopeful for.”

LOCKDOWN MILESTONE LOOMS

Melburnians will have spent six months in hard lockdown by next week, but epidemiologists warn the current outbreak risk is far from over.

Premier Daniel Andrews on Tuesday announced the state’s fifth lockdown would be ­extended by seven days – meaning that by next Tuesday Melburnians will have notched up 185 days inside their homes during the pandemic.

“More time is required for us to be certain and to be confident that we have extinguished this,” he said.

“There are chains of transmission that are not yet contained. We’ve seen how quickly this runs. We see how challenging this can become in a very short space of time.”

Authorities won’t lift the lockdown until they are confident that almost all cases had been in isolation during their infectious period.

Meanwhile, NSW has recorded 110 new cases as its outbreak continues to spread, with 43 of those infectious while in the community.

Prof Sutton said zero community transmission was the key to ending lockdown.

“That is the best guarantee that we can have to open up,” he said.

“You can’t do that with significant community transmission because there would be so much risk of further transmission occurring indoors and outdoors. So getting to zero community

transmission, as a national strategy, as our Victorian approach, is really critical because that’s the best assurance that we can give.”

BARWON HEADS MAN IN ICU WITH COVID

A Barwon Heads resident is in the intensive care unit with coronavirus as the state’s Covid outbreak continues to grow.

Barwon Health confirmed on Tuesday that an inpatient with Covid had been admitted to Geelong Hospital.

The man is one of four people from a household that was infected with the virus after one family member caught it from a friend who lives in the Maribyrnong apartment complex visited by three Covid-positive NSW removalists.

Meanwhile, another woman from the same household has taken to social media to detail the family’s experiences with the highly infectious Delta strain.

“I would not have wished this on my worst enemy …. such a fleeting contact has caused so much upheaval,” she said.

“We took all the right precautions and isolated as soon as we knew.

“We have had mixed symptoms from a really bad flu, high fevers to head cold symptoms.”

She urged people to mask up to reduce the chances of the virus spreading.

“Something we have learned from the experience is masks, masks, masks,” she wrote.

‘WORST YET TO COME’ FOR RETAIL, SMALL BUSINESS

Australian Retail Association CEO Paul Zahra warned more than $8bn worth of the nation’s retail trade was at risk, with the lockdown extension set to seal the fate of many small businesses.

And Mr Zahra fears the worst is yet to come for retailers and small businesses as the Australian Bureau of Statistics reveals June sales figures are down 3.5 per cent in Victoria month on month.

Lockdowns in Victoria and Greater Sydney have contributed to a 1.8 per cent fall in retail sales in June compared to the previous month, according to preliminary figures released today by the ABS.

The only glimmer of hopes is that despite the lockdown impacts through the year, sales are up 2.9 per cent compared to June 2020.

“Today’s figures for June come as no surprise with Victoria battling its fourth lockdown earlier in the month and Greater Sydney subject to stay-at-home orders a couple of weeks later,” Mr Zahra says.

“Lockdowns have a direct impact on consumer confidence and retail spending, and we fear the worst is yet to come with restrictions imposed across multiple states in July.”

Mr Zahra says two weeks ago, national cabinet agreed that lockdowns would be used as a last resort to managing new Covid outbreaks, but that are likely to be with us for the rest of the year given concerns with the Delta variant.

“Small businesses in particular are in crisis and are bearing the full brunt of lockdowns. Whilst existing support arrangements are welcomed, it’s not enough to stem the losses. We need to see an urgent return of effective support schemes like JobKeeper and the Leasing Code of Conduct that were so beneficial in keeping businesses alive during the first phase of the pandemic.

“Vaccines are key to seeing the back of lockdowns and restrictions. They are our only ticket to freedom and the retail industry stands ready to help expediate vaccination rates in any way it can.”

Meanwhile, Paul Guerra of the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the extension was “devastating”.

“Businesses and workers do not have the cash or emotional reserves for further restrictions on trade and work,” he said.

The Pastoral Hotel in Echuca has defied the lockdown, ­reopening on Saturday and serving about 70 meals.

Owner Trevor Andrews said despite police twice visiting his Sturt Street venue, it would remain open. Just across the border in NSW, pubs in Moama are open under restrictions.

“We can’t keep going like this, they’ve tried to lock us down five times and it has got beyond the point of ridiculous,” he said.

— Kim Wilson

‘WE CAN’T LEAVE IT SMOULDERING’

Mr Andrews said reopening the state at five cases per day, as the government did last year, was no longer an ­option due to the Delta variant’s infectiousness.

“If we leave it smouldering at low levels … there is every chance that we are back here, locked down again,” he added.

Chief health officer Professor Brett Sutton said it was too early to say whether the five-day lockdown had allowed contact tracers to control the outbreak.

He said although the extension would be reviewed daily, “I can’t say yet whether we are ahead of this thing”. But he added: “It’s going in the right direction”.

The Premier said it was no longer an option to lift the lockdown at five cases per day, as the government did last year. Picture: Daniel Pockett

Victorians still have only five reasons to leave home.

But some outdoor services, including mobile pet-grooming services can now operate.

Students with a disability will also be able to return to school, if a parent or a carer feels their child can’t learn from home.

The lockdown will run until 11.59pm next Tuesday, but leading epidemiologists have warned there’s no guarantee it will end as planned.

Associate Professor Lei Zhang, who heads Monash University’s artificial intelligence and modelling in epidemiology program, has predicted that between 22 and 33 more days in lockdown will be needed to eliminate community transmission.

However, a 10 per cent increase in vaccination coverage could reduce that duration to 15 to 23 days, Prof Zhang said.

Chief health officer Brett Sutton can’t say whether we are ahead of ‘this thing’. Picture: Daniel Pockett

University of South Australia professor of biostatistics Adrian Esterman said there was a “real possibility” the lockdown would still be extended further.

“The outbreak is in its early days still and it could easily get worse. The next two or three days will be the key in telling the picture, (but) I would be surprised if it didn’t go longer than a week,” he said.

Deakin University chair of epidemiology Prof Catherine Bennett said it was unlikely the state would emerge early from the extended lockdown.

“The lockdown will include the weekend. I think the chance (of easing lockdown early) is pretty small, even if all the signals are good,” she said.

“With this variant circulating, if there’s any belief that there could be any people that may have been missed or gone undetected, they’d want to hold the full seven days.”

Felicia Mariani of the Victorian Tourism Industry Council said the industry was on the verge of collapse.

Andrew Allan from Little Athletics Victoria with Bonnie 10, Jack 14, Cate 11, Sam 14 and Nicholas 14. Picture: Wayne Taylor

Community sporting clubs fear the rest of their season will be written off with the lockdown extension, with many only just recovering from the last shutdown.

Oakleigh Little Athletics president Andrew Allan said kids’ hopes for a season return had been “dashed” last week after having three award presentations scrapped during the pandemic.

“We are very disappointed,” Mr Allan said.

“We released the results online but it’s not the same as waiting in expectation and smiling in front of friends.”

Health authorities are still awaiting test results from a number of close contacts.

More than 18,000 people – linked to 82 cases – have been deemed close contacts, with around a third of those living in regional Victoria.

Thirteen locally acquired cases, including four announced on Monday, were detected in the community on Tuesday, but a mystery case has authorities on high alert.

Covid-19 commander Jeroen Weimar said a Roxburgh Park woman, aged in her 20s, may have “potential social links” to the City of Hume cluster. He added: “I am very, very concerned”.

DISASTER PAYMENTS ON THE WAY

Victorians impacted by the latest lockdown can claim disaster payments from this Friday.

Those who are eligible can claim $600 per week from the federal government if they have lost more than 20 hours of work, and $375 each week if they have lost between eight and 20 hours of work.

In a statement, Minister for Emergency Management and National Recovery and Resilience, Senator Bridget Mckenzie said claiming the payment on the myGov website “is the quickest and easiest option”.

The Minister added: “The payment is now recurring and automatically paid for any future weeks via lockdown.”

Meanwhile, the state government has announced an extra $282.5 million support package for Victorian businesses and sole traders.

This means 90,000 eligible businesses will be given automatic top-ups for the lockdown extension.

Eligible Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund recipients will receive $4200, taking the total payment to $7200, while Business Costs Assistance Program recipients will receive $2800, increasing the total grant to $4800.

Businesses that had chosen not to apply for these support programs in relation to the May/June lockdown, or had been ineligible to apply but are now eligible, will be welcome to apply for July lockdown support payments and will be considered outside of the automatic top-up process.

Discussions with the Commonwealth Government have confirmed that the vast majority of microbusinesses not registered for GST will be eligible for the Covid-19 Disaster Payment of $600/$375 per seven-day period. The Victorian government will establish a concierge service to help these businesses access this support.

Alpine hospitality, retail, accommodation and experience operators have been hit hard in their high season. Businesses that were eligible for grants of up to $15,000 will receive an extra $3000 through a fresh $1.2 million injection, on top of any entitlements under the Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund or Business Costs Assistance Program.

Eligible public events and public events suppliers affected by the lockdown will receive support of up to $25,000 and $10,000 respectively through an extension of the Impacted Public Events Support Program.

A new round of the Live Performance Support programs, with funding of up to $7000 for presenters and up to $2000 for suppliers, has also been confirmed.

Benefiting regional areas and metropolitan Melbourne, a new round of the Sporting Clubs Grants Program will provide $2,000 grants for community sport and active recreation organisations for events that have been unable to proceed or will have to be cancelled or postponed.

The Victorian government has provided almost $7 billion in direct economic support for businesses over the course of the pandemic, including more than $500 million through the May/June restrictions period with $461.2 million allocated for the lead Business Costs Assistance Program and Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund.

Some $180 million has been automatically paid over the past two days to more than 86,000 Victorian businesses eligible for the first five days of the current lockdown.

More information about businesses support is available at business.vic.gov.au

Originally published as 22 new local Covid cases; Melbourne to mark six-month lockdown milestone