Health officials are working to identify the source of 69 infections linked to the outbreak, with two in the West Melbourne cluster announced yesterday having visited known exposure sites.
The couple – one of which shopped frequently at Epping Plaza and Craigieburn Central – are both in isolation, but while the visit to the shopping centres is a common factor with earlier cases, the shopping times don’t match up, leaving officials scratching their heads.
Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said he did consider shutting down those two shopping centres but “people need to shop.”
Meanwhile, the Delta strain which has ripped through India has so far been found in seven people from two families in Victoria, including three children. The first family to present with the variant travelled from Jervis Bay in NSW.
Victoria recorded five new locally acquired cases in total on Saturday, with three close contacts of existing cases. Two new locally acquired cases have been recorded today.
Follow our live coverage of the unfolding situation in the state below.
Live Updates
The Morrison government has been slammed for failing to plan ahead on Covid-19, accused of only responding to issues when they arise.
Deputy Labor leader Richard Marles said on ABC's Insiders this morning that the federal government was playing “catch-up footy” with the virus, and should be focused on the vaccine rollout to prevent major lockdowns.
He also noted the country had been too complacent, particularly in vaccinating vulnerable people and workers in aged care facilities.
The federal government had promised all aged care workers would be vaccinated by Easter.
“This government has failed in terms of getting even the start of the vaccine rollout properly going in relation to aged-care workers,” Mr Marles said.
The Project's Waleed Aly has been sent trending on Twitter this morning after his appearance on the ABC Insiders panel.
Discussing Melbourne's lockdown extension along with the Herald Sun's James Campbell and The Guardian's Sarah Martin, the media personality said he supported the extra 7 days, pointing out the differences between last year's outbreak and the current situation in Victoria.
"(Last year) was 170 different clusters. This is two. We're not talking about a lockdown to control the virus… we're talking about a lockdown so that contact tracing can do the job.
"I personally don't really see how you can mount the argument that (lockdown) shouldn't have been extended unless you want to fundamentally change (Australia's) whole approach to COVID… which is effectively aggressive suppression."
He said the given the mystery still surrounding the cluster, the decision was vindicated.
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js#Insiders shows Waleed's acute analysis of Victoria's lock down. No confusion. No hysteria. No conspiracy theories. Plain speakin'!
— Mark Savage (@MarkSavArt) June 5, 2021
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsWaleed Aly bringing intellect, logic and fine analysis to the panel. Oh Yes, and humility. Refreshing inclusion on #insiders. https://t.co/8KS1ecScE6
— Kerry Jaggers (@kezincanberra) June 5, 2021
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsIt’s so lovely when Waleed talks … he actually uses context and research in his arguments. Whether you agree with him or not. #insiders
— Julia Zemiro (@julia_zemiro) June 5, 2021
Deputy Labor Leader Richard Marles gave a passionate argument for dedicated quarantine facilities around Australia on ABC Insiders this morning, using Darwin's Howard Spring facility as a successful example.
"Every person who comes back to this country and does their quarantining in a fit-for-purpose facility makes us safer, it is as simple as that," he said.
"So the fit-for-purpose facilities should be doing the bulk of the work. Only one fit-for-purpose facility and that is Howard Springs and not surprising, no breakouts from Howard Springs.
"Twenty-two breakouts from hotel quarantine over the course of the last year, almost one every two weeks. That speaks for itself.
"We need to have a system of fit-for-purpose facilities around the country."
Former AMA President Dr Tony Bartone told ABC News the lack of a genomic match with regards to yesterday's two new cases is a "concern", adding that authorities may not be able to get to the bottom of it.
"The fact that we can't get a genomic match on two of those cases that was announced yesterday at this stage is a concern.
"It's not always possible to get a genomic match on every case, so we may not know exactly how the origin of this Delta variant came into Melbourne on this occasion," he explained.
He went on to say analysing data from overseas will aid health officials in approaching how to tackle the Delta outbreak.
"If we look at data from India where the Delta variant has created a huge load of cases and, indeed, hospitalisations and people losing their lives, we know it seems to be potentially more transmissible amongst children," he said.
Testing Commander Jeroen Weimar echoed similar concern yesterday, but stressed authorities were “establishing” a ring around the outbreak.
The state has recorded two new locally acquired cases today.
Dan Andrews' wife Catherine has shared a photo of her cutting her husband's hair during Melbourne lockdown.
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsOn the tools again. Practice makes perfect 💇🏻♂️ I love this one. Getting better every day. pic.twitter.com/ciNGuHmB5C
— Catherine Andrews (@CathLAndrews) June 5, 2021
In the replies to followers, she was quick to clarify it is not a hint he will be going back to work next week.
She said he won't be back in his office until his doctors signs off on it.
The Victorian Premier has been on leave since March 9 this year after suffering broken ribs and a fractured T7 vertebra when he slipped on wet stairs while holidaying on the Mornington Peninsula.
Victoria has recorded two new locally acquired cases of coronavirus.
Health officials made the announcement this morning.
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsReported yesterday: 2 new local cases and 6 new cases acquired overseas (currently in HQ).
– 19,940 vaccine doses were administered
– 29,816 test results were receivedMore later: https://t.co/lIUrl0ZEco
— VicGovDH (@VicGovDH) June 5, 2021
#COVID19Vic #COVID19VicData pic.twitter.com/5mgiIWYPYy
The new cases takes the number of local cases in the state’s latest outbreak to 71.
The health department also confirmed six new cases in hotel quarantine, which takes the number of active cases in Victoria to 85.
The results came from almost 30,000 tests, while 19,940 vaccine doses were also administered in the past 24 hours
New guidelines issued by the Department of Health outline that aged care workers do not need to disclose whether they have been vaccinated.
"It is voluntary for workers to be vaccinated and to disclose if they have received a COVID-19 vaccination," the update on Friday said.
It continued: "Workers should not be required to provide evidence to confirm their vaccination status."
The directive means data collected by the government regarding the exact number of vaccinated aged care workers would be invalid if workers choose not to disclose their status.
A detailed regional quarantine camp plan devised by QLD Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has been quashed by a new provision put in place by the federal government.
An expected $300 million quarantine facility was finalised by the state on Friday, and had been backed by the state's agricultural and university sectors, The Australian reports.
However, late on Friday night, a new requirement for facilities to be built on "Commonwealth-owned" lane was put into play, which state officials have interpreted as a move by Scott Morrison to scupper the proposed site.
Under new criteria, the Queensland proposal would likely fail to meet requirements.
It comes after months of the Prime Minister and the Queensland Premier butting heads over her government’s proposal for a 1000-room facility on privately owned land west of Brisbane.
Victoria’s coronavirus venue alerts list has swelled to almost 400 sites overnight after a Woolies, Coles and city office building were added.
The state’s health department made the new additions on Saturday night, with the latest venues joining a list of 390 others across Victoria visited by a confirmed case of Covid-19.
It comes after the health department confirmed five new locally acquired Covid infections on Saturday linked to the outbreak, which has now ballooned to 69 cases.
Coronavirus fragments have been discovered in wastewater samples from Melbourne's inner west and north catchment area, a detection that is "of interest" to authorities.
While the suburbs currently have no confirmed cases of the virus, it is near the West Melbourne Delta mystery cluster.
Residents in the area are being urged to get tested if they develop symptoms.
A DHHS statement explained: “The unexpected detection may be due to someone who has had COVID-19 that is no longer infectious continuing to ‘shed’ the virus or it may be due to an active but undiagnosed infectious case.”
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMizAFodHRwczovL3d3dy5uZXdzLmNvbS5hdS93b3JsZC9jb3JvbmF2aXJ1cy9hdXN0cmFsaWEvY29yb25hdmlydXMtYXVzdHJhbGlhLW1lbGJvdXJuZXMtbG9ja2Rvd24tbGF0ZXN0LW51bWJlcnMtbnN3LW9uLWFsZXJ0LWFuZC1kZWx0YS12YXJpYW50LXRyYWNpbmctY29udGludWVzL2xpdmUtY292ZXJhZ2UvNTVhY2ZhZjlhZWI3ODU2YWNlNWYwNTUxYmJmODY1OTbSAQA?oc=5
2021-06-05 21:46:33Z
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