Six new cases have been uncovered in Victoria on Wednesday and Thursday, linked to the Smile Buffalo Thai restaurant in Black Rock.Contact tracing uncovered that three positive cases visited the restaurant on December 21, with three additional cases seeding from those individuals after that.The restaurant was also visited by a returned traveller from NSW.Contact tracers have established 52 close contacts the first three cases in a range of locations across Melbourne, plus people in Barwon Heads and Leongatha. More than 40 primary close contacts of Wednesday’s positive test cases, who will undergo further testing, had been contacted and ordered to self-isolate. The cases were on Thursday morning linked to the Smile Buffalo Thai restaurant in Black Rock, Ms Allan said. “The three cases that were identified yesterday have a link to the Buffalo Thai restaurant, and that occurred on the December 21, 2020,” she said.
New COVID cases in Victoria
Melbourne’s new high-risk locations
“On that night, one case and two close contacts of cases attended this restaurant, as did a returned traveller from New South Wales. “That traveller is being tested as a matter of urgency today, and working with New South Wales Health to investigate their movements in New South Wales. “The traveller returned to New South Wales prior to the border permit system being put in place. “We are urging anyone who visited the Smile Buffalo Thai Restaurant to get tested as soon as possible and contact the Department health for the situation. The department is working with the restaurant to identify all the staff and patients working on that night.”Health minister Martin Foley apologised for upending New Year’s Eve plans for millions of Victorians.“We apologise for the short notice but this virus does not respect New Year’s Eve and it does not respect state borders and other public health advice as indicated,” he said.THOUSANDS TOLD TO ISOLATEThousands of Melburnians have been told to isolate after a busy shopping centre and popular beach were among the list of places visited by Victoria’s first local coronavirus cases in 61 days.Wednesday’s new case
s from Mitcham, Mentone and Hallam — two women in their 40s and a woman in her 70s — were being treated as locally acquired, ending the state’s 61-day consecutive run of no new community transmissions.It is expected more close contacts will emerge, with thousands of shoppers and workers among those exposed to the virus at Kmart, Big W, Target, Millers, King of Gifts and Lacoste at Fountain Gate Shopping Centre in Narre Warren.
People who visited those sites between 9am and 11am on Boxing Day must get tested and isolate until they receive a result.Mentone-Parkdale Beach, Century City Walk and Mocha Jo’s in Glen Waverley, and Oakleigh’s Katiala restaurant were also listed as high-risk locations.Victoria’s Commander of COVID-19 Response Jeroen Weimar said the active cases were a concern.“We have three cases that are self-isolating at home and are being supported and monitored by the Department of Health and Human Services,” Mr Weimar said. “We have been in this position before and we are deploying our full outbreak approach around these cases.“Extensive contact tracing is under way and as a result there are currently more than 40 primary close contacts that are being supported to isolate immediately.”The cases bring the state’s active case count to 11, with seven of those in hotel quarantine.One other is a teen who contracted the virus in NSW and has been in isolation at home.
‘COME HOME’: VICTORIA TOUGHENS BORDER WITH NSWVictorians in NSW have been urged to return home as the state’s coronavirus outbreak spreads.Ten new virus cases were revealed in NSW on Thursday, with five linked to the northern beaches cluster.Deputy chief health officer Allen Cheng discouraged Victorians to travel across the border.“The things we want Victorians to do: if you were planning to go to New South Wales, we want you to very strongly reconsider that,” he said. “This is a quickly changing situation and we don’t want you to be trapped in New South Wales. If you are already New South Wales, we want you to come home.”It comes as the state government toughened its NSW border closure, locking out anyone who has been in the Blue Mountains or Wollongong regions since December 27 unless they return to Victoria by 11.59pm Thursday.From 11.59pm, anyone who has been in or visited the Blue Mountains or Wollongong regions in the past 14 days will be banned from entering Victoria.Anyone who has been in the two regions will have until 11.59pm to apply for a new travel permit through Service Victoria to gain entry.
Victoria has recorded three new cases of COVID-19 in the community while Sydney’s clusters grow.
If granted, they must get tested within 24 hours of returning to Victoria, and must self-quarantine at home for 14 days from when they last left the region.Anyone currently in Victoria who has been in Wollongong or the Blue Mountains since December 27 is urged to get tested and stay at home until a negative test result is received.It is not known how many Victorians are currently in the regions.But anyone arriving from Friday will be banned entry or forced into mandatory hotel quarantine.Melbourne emergency physician and former vice-president of the Australian Medical Association Stephen Parnis said he was shocked that NSW had not worked harder to suppress its current outbreak.“Three new cases in Melbourne, which aren’t in one place. Reportedly linked to the Sydney outbreak. It beggars belief after all we have learned and endured that NSW is still not going harder in suppressing the current outbreak,” he said on social media.A government spokesman said border restrictions would continue to be reviewed daily and would be changed only on public health advice.Meanwhile, South Australia will slam its borders shut to New South Wales as the eastern state’s coronavirus outbreak continues to grow.Premier Steven Marshall announced on New Year’s Eve that a hard border will be back in place as of one minute past midnight.NED-1859 State of our borders
MASSIVE QUEUES FOR TESTSA 300m queue of cars are waiting outside the Parkdale pop up testing centre which was due to open at 11am. There are huge delays on Warren Rd. Jill Fagan and Adam Fritsch, from Parkdale, had waited one hour to get a COVID test and are just two of the hundreds queued at the pop up testing facility. They were at Parkdale beach on December 27 during the exposure period. “We don’t have symptoms but we are here just in case,” Ms Fagan said. “We thought we’d just get it over and done with.” Mr Fritsch said he was hoping for the best. “I’m quite shocked,” he said. “We were expecting outbreaks, but not having any for so long, you start getting your hopes up. Just like that we’re back. Fingers crossed.”
HOT SPOTS CLOSED IN BITTER END TO 2020Mocha Jo’s cafe in Glen Waverley was closed Thursday morning, following news of a coronavirus-positive exposure on December 28.The usually bustling cafe was due to open at 6.30am but is closed to the public today, while the owners proactively organise a deep clean and staff undergo voluntary COVID testing. A delivery of bread was sitting outside the cafe, which has prominently placed COVID-safe messaging on its front door. Meanwhile in Glen Waverley, the Century City Walk thoroughfare remained open. The Herald Sun witnessed routine cleaning taking place about 7.30am. The centre houses the Pancake Parlour, Strike Bowling, Secret Kitchen and Village Cinemas. It remains unclear if the coronavirus-infected woman entered any of the stores, or merely passed through the thoroughfare.
Staff at the neighbouring Piatella bar, next to Century City walk, said they were taking extra precautions with cleaning and sanitising chairs and tables. Waitress Sharina Riva said she found out on Thursday morning about the exposure sites. “I hope the cases can be contained, hopefully we don’t go into a third lockdown,” she said. “We found out this morning.” Her colleague Tharushi Colamba said locals had been vigilant this morning. “I panicked when I heard the news,” she said.“Everyone has come in wearing masks.” Westfield cleaning employees at Fountain Gate shopping centre revealed they knew nothing of the DHHS memo issued on Wednesday night. “That is the first I am hearing of it,” one cleaning employee told the Herald Sun. “We haven’t been told anything. That’s concerning.” The 24-hour Kmart store was open to shoppers on Thursday, with a large poster reminding customers to social distance prominently outside the store.
The Fountain Gate Big W store is also open for customers. There was nothing unusual at the Holy Family Parish in Doveton on Thursday morning. A few people could be seen on the property, and a post on the church’s website said all services had been cancelled. “Due to a suspected COVID infection case in the Holy Family Doveton – Large Hall on 26 December, all services have been temporarily cancelled with immediate effect,” the post said. “Subsequent to a deep clean and other COVID managements put in place, advise will be provided re resuming services.“We apologise for any inconvenience caused.” PRE-FLIGHT COVID REGIMEN QUESTIONEDAll airlines flying into Australia have been asked to explain to detail what their pre-flight COVID-19 testing regimen is, as authorities work to slow the spread of a mutated strain of the virus. Chief medical officer Paul Kelly made the request of airlines on Wednesday, following a request from federal Health Minister Greg Hunt. Prof Kelly said the top medical body – the AHPPC – was meeting daily to discuss the evolving situation, moving to assure Australians the mutated strain seemed to be more infectious but not more deadly. “This variant is not more severe, doesn’t cause more severe illness,” Prof Kelly said. “There is no increase in hospitalisation or increase in 28-day mortality.”
He said the government would consider further measures like increased testing of returned travellers in quarantine like has already been done in New Zealand. “Our quarantine system is very safe,” Prof Kelly said. Qantas already requires passengers to return a negative test before people travel on their international flights.The Victorian Government is in favour of pre-flight testing and has been urging federal authorities to consider it. Victorian Health Minister Martin Foley said everything possible needed to be done to reduce risks until a vaccine was available. “Getting tested and only flying when you are well helps slow the spread of coronavirus and limits the possibility of cases entering our state,” he said. “A national approach would be most effective in dealing with this issue.”So far, at least six people have tested positive to the mutated COVID-19 strains in Australia.HOW TO CELEBRATE NYE SAFELYNew Year’s Eve revellers are on notice that police will move swiftly to break up crowds and clamp down on unruly behaviour.With no fireworks to see in 2021, Victorians have been urged to stay well away from Melbourne’s CBD unless they have booked to dine at hospitality venues.Police have flagged swift action to break up any crowds in excess of 100 people, which are banned under the chief health officer’s directions.More than 1500 police will be out in force across the state, with specialist squads including the air wing, dog squad and public order response team on constant standby.Assistant Commissioner Luke Cornelius said on Wednesday that officers wouldn’t hesitate to act if necessary.“We’ll be having a significant, visible and active presence, not only here in the city but also on the beaches, down around the bayside area and pushing down the Great Ocean Road,” he said.
“We will take the opportunity, where it’s appropriate, to take action, where there are flagrant breaches of the directions. And we will fine people.“Anyone thinking of coming into a city, town or celebration anywhere in the state to cause trouble — our advice is don’t. You will be arrested and you will be held to account.”Police will have extra powers to search people suspected of carrying weapons, and they have also vowed to crack down on illegal fireworks displays.“There’ll be a strong and dedicated police presence across the state to ensure celebrations are kept safe and people who make it unsafe … are held to account,” Mr Cornelius said.Despite repeated requests for people to stay away from the CBD unless they have booked into venues, Mr Cornelius said police would be powerless to move people on or issue fines.“The directions don’t prevent people moving about our city,” he said. “The bottom line here is if you come into the city and you’re not here for a booked event, well, what else is there?” Mr Cornelius said.
2020 NYE in Melbourne
He urged families to celebrate in small numbers in their local communities instead.Williamstown local Justin Chrimes said he would be staying close to home with his wife Amy and children Lachie, 9, Oli, 7, and Ela, 5.The family will attend a Goodbye 2020 event at Seaworks in Williamstown with a casual picnic.“It’s nice to have a local option for the kids,” Mr Chrimes said. “We’ll go with the family but see people we know.” Police and Emergency Service Minister Lisa Neville also urged Victorians to keep away from the CBD.“We cannot risk the work we have done by breaking the rules,” Ms Neville said.
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