A primary school in Melbourne's north has closed due to a case of coronavirus.
Key points:
- Three more people have been diagnosed with coronavirus overnight taking the state's toll to 1,681
- Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton has called on people once again to stay away from a planned protest this weekend expected to draw in thousands
- One of the organisers of the Black Lives Matter protest said everything would be done to manage risk during the demonstration on Saturday
Newbury Primary School in Craigieburn closed today after a prep student tested positive to COVID-19.
Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said the student was one three cases in Victoria confirmed overnight, the other two were from people in hotel quarantine.
The figures came as Professor Sutton added to calls around the country for people to stay away from mass gatherings organised in support of the global Black Lives Matter movement.
Thousands of people are expected to attend a planned protest in Melbourne on Saturday, which has been organised by members of Victoria's Aboriginal communities in response to the alleged murder of African-American George Floyd by a white police officer in the US.
"Clearly, a protest breaks those public health directions. It is a public health risk," Professor Sutton said.
Under current laws, people can only gather outside in groups of up to 20.
"I understand the passions people will have in relation to this and the desire to protest, but my focus has always been on the health and wellbeing of people," he said.
"I would not want people to be exposed and bring it back to their families and communities."
Professor Sutton acknowledged the precautions people were taking such as wearing masks and using hand sanitiser, but said the protest remained a risk.
Police announced earlier this week they would not issue fines for breaches of physical-distancing, despite a cap on outdoor gatherings still being in place.
Premier Daniel Andrews yesterday said the "tough decision" was made by Victoria Police to reduce the risk of "inflaming" the protester's concerns about police brutality.
Fines have been issued at other demonstrations, including an anti-lockdown protest attended by many anti-vaccine and anti-5G conspiracy theorists and an earlier demonstration against refugees in detention.
One of the organisers of the Melbourne demonstration said she would "feel pretty bad" if there was a spike in cases after the event, but those behind the rally were doing everything they could to minimise the risk.
Gunnai and Gunditjmara woman Meriki Onus, a member of Warriors of the Aboriginal Resistance, told ABC Radio Melbourne they would rather not be protesting during a pandemic.
"But we've spoken to community members and we've spoken to other Aboriginal people across Australia," she said.
Ms Onus said the organisers had been working with health professionals to give out masks and hand sanitiser to attendees in the lead-up and would be giving out supplies on the day.
Digital flyers for the event have urged people to keep 1.5 metres apart.
"We're doing everything we can to manage any risk," she said.
Asked how organisers would feel if the virus spread at the rally, Ms Onus said "I would feel pretty bad".
"But we're rising to the call to action, we're marching like they marched in Paris, we're marching like they marched in New Zealand, we're marching like they marched in Perth and Sydney," she said.
"Melbourne will be no different to any other city in this world in marching [for] Black Lives Matter."
Coronavirus concentrated in Melbourne's north and west
The three additional cases of COVID-19 confirmed overnight brings the number of cases in the state to 1,681.
Professor Sutton said the Newbury Primary student developed symptoms last week and was tested on Wednesday.
"I believed they picked it up in the community," he said.
The Department of Health and Human Services was notified on Thursday.
"I understand it was notified very late last night so some of those parents will only be finding out today the school is closed," Professor Sutton said.
Close contacts of the student will be contacted and told to self-isolate for two weeks.
Professor Sutton said it appeared the primary school case was separate to the Keilor Downs family outbreak.
Despite recent clusters of the virus emerging in schools, Professor Sutton said the risk of transmission within schools remained "very low".
But he said cases of coronavirus appeared to be concentrated in Melbourne's north and west, and encouraged everyone in those suburbs to be vigilant about noticing symptoms of coronavirus and getting tested.
"I want to specifically emphasise these areas of Melbourne appear to be the hotspots at the moment," Professor Sutton said.
He urged people to minimise outings including shopping.
"If there are things you don't have to do, don't do them."
He said the state was "heading in the right direction".
"Community cases remain unusual — one or two a day. I'd like to see that go down to zero but if we can maintain that I think there is an opportunity for a further easing of restrictions in late June," he said.
"But if things go in the wrong direction it all has to be reconsidered."
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2020-06-05 01:24:38Z
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