Coronavirus: Four new cases in Melbourne as WA set to make border call - The West Australian

The West Australian

A further two people have tested positive to coronavirus in Melbourne, bringing to four an outbreak in the city’s north first reported this morning. Credit: methode/methode

Four new COVID-19 cases have been recorded in Victoria today, breaking the State’s 86-day streak without a locally acquired case.

Health Minister Martin Foley confirmed two more people in Melbourne’s north had returned positive coronavirus test results, adding to the two ‘possible cases’ revealed earlier this morning.

Health authorities were alerted to the cluster after a Whittlesea man presented for testing on Sunday.

He and an asymptomatic male relative from a separate household both tested positive.

A woman and young child of the Whittlesea man have also since been confirmed as COVID positive.

Mr Foley said there was no indication the COVID-positive family members were linked to any exposure sites visited by a Victorian man who contracted coronavirus in hotel quarantine in South Australia.

The Department last week admitted it had listed the wrong supermarket as an exposure site during the outbreak earlier this month.

Epping Woolworths was at the centre of a contact tracing bungle. Credit: Jake Nowakowski

People had been warned of potential exposure at Woolworths in Epping a fortnight ago, but the Department on Friday said the man had shopped at Woolworths in Epping North, three kilometres away.

Transport Infrastructure Minister Jacinta Allan earlier said the new cases were being “thoroughly investigated”.

“It’s too soon to draw any conclusions about the connection between these two cases and previous cases,” she told reporters on Monday.

“The only advice I have is that they are connected to each other.

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“We need to let the investigations and the interviews take place so we can provide a full and accurate picture to the Victorian community over the course of today.”

Ms Allan urged any Victorian with symptoms to get tested and isolate until they receive a negative result.

Opposition Leader Michael O’Brien said it was clear the Government had stuffed up contact tracing.

“If we get another outbreak in Melbourne because this Government didn’t do the basics right then frankly, the Health Minister, and other ministers need to lose their jobs,” he said.

The four new cases have snapped Victoria’s 86-day streak without a locally acquired case and have led to multiple new exposure sites being flagged.

Four new COVID-19 cases have been recorded in Victoria today, breaking the State’s 86-day streak without a locally acquired case. Credit: methode/methode

Australia’s Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly said it was a stark reminder of the need for people to get vaccinated.

“We are approaching winter very quickly,” he told reporters in Canberra.

“We’ve been in a very good position this year in terms of acquired cases in Australia but that can change very quickly.”

More to come.

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https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMifGh0dHBzOi8vdGhld2VzdC5jb20uYXUvbmV3cy9jb3JvbmF2aXJ1cy9jb3JvbmF2aXJ1cy1mb3VyLW5ldy1jYXNlcy1pbi1tZWxib3VybmUtYXMtd2Etc2V0LXRvLW1ha2UtYm9yZGVyLWNhbGwtbmctYjg4MTg4MDczMXrSAYABaHR0cHM6Ly90aGV3ZXN0LmNvbS5hdS9uZXdzL2Nvcm9uYXZpcnVzL2Nvcm9uYXZpcnVzLWZvdXItbmV3LWNhc2VzLWluLW1lbGJvdXJuZS1hcy13YS1zZXQtdG8tbWFrZS1ib3JkZXItY2FsbC1uZy1iODgxODgwNzMxei5hbXA?oc=5

2021-05-24 05:53:00Z
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