Coronavirus update for Victoria - 15 February 2021

Victoria has recorded two new cases of coronavirus.

One is a locally acquired case – a woman linked to the Holiday Inn.

The total number of COVID-19 cases now linked to the Holiday Inn is 17.

Victoria’s other case is in a returned traveller in hotel quarantine, a female child.

The number of active cases in Victoria is 21, made up of 14 locally acquired cases, a decrease of one since yesterday and 7 cases in hotel quarantine, an increase of one since yesterday.

The total number of confirmed cases in Victoria since the beginning of the pandemic is 20,471.

Update: Holiday Inn Cases

Today’s new positive case linked to the Holiday Inn is in a person who recorded a weak positive test result that was under review yesterday.

The case, who does not have any COVID-19 symptoms, was swabbed multiple times and those swabs were subject to tests on several platforms that returned both negative and weak positive results.

The Expert Review Panel met yesterday and, on a balance of risks, determined this to be a positive case. The case’s infectious period has been set from 7 February.

She attended the private function venue at 426 Sydney Road, Coburg, on the night of 6 February and is the mother of the young child who was announced yesterday as a positive case.

Today’s new case is a health care worker who has worked in psychiatric units within the Alfred Hospital, Northern Hospital and the Broadmeadows Inpatient Psychiatric Unit.

Affected wards have been locked down, primary close contacts quarantined and tested, and second close contacts managed.

There is one new exposure site linked to this new case – Sacca’s Fruit World in Broadmeadows [attended on 9 February between 12:30 and 1:15pm].

To determine exposure sites, the Department relies on initial interviews and regular follow-up contact with positive cases, QR code data and other attendance records, plus information that contact tracers can validate through banking records and information stored by agencies such as VicRoads and Services Australia.

Through this follow-up contact, we have updated our list of current Tier 1 exposure sites.

Anyone who was at Bonbons Bakery at Broadmeadows Central on Tuesday 9 February from 12.30pm to 12.45pm must isolate, get tested and stay isolated for 14 days.

Fergusson Plarre Bakehouse in Broadmeadows is no longer an exposure site and relevant contacts identified have been cleared.

We continue to thank those who let us know about additional information they have remembered about their movements after their initial interview – it’s the right thing to do.

As of 1pm today, in relation to the Holiday Inn cases, we have identified 57 primary close contacts linked to households and social groups and 1057 primary close contacts linked to exposure sites

The number of contacts, particularly those linked to exposure sites, will continue to change.

Numbers today have changed significantly with the declaration of new exposure sites, including 407 individuals linked to two swimming pools, and over 100 people linked to two early learning centres.

In addition, 1567 primary close contacts have been identified through the exposure site at Terminal 4 at Melbourne Airport and 499 primary close contacts are Holiday Inn staff and residents.

Three-day Auckland lockdown

The Australian Chief Medical Officer yesterday announced all flights originating in New Zealand will be classified as red zone flights for an initial period of 72 hours from 12.01am this morning.

As a result, all people arriving on flights from New Zealand within this three-day period will enter Hotel Quarantine for 14 days.

A flight arrived from New Zealand into Melbourne yesterday with 152 passengers. All passengers are being followed up to see if they are still in Victoria and if so they will be asked to isolate and get tested.

Wastewater detections

As reported yesterday, there have been two COVID-19 fragment detections in metropolitan Melbourne wastewater catchments.

One detection is in the Coburg catchment which includes the suburbs of Coburg, Coburg North and Reservoir. The other detection ids in the South Melbourne catchment which includes the suburbs of Southbank, South Melbourne, St Kilda Road/Domain and parts of South Yarra and Prahran.

People in these areas are asked to remain extra vigilant and come forward for testing if they develop even the mildest symptoms of COVID-19.

Expanded testing capacity

Victorians have responded well to our call for testing with more than 25,000 people presenting for testing yesterday and 118,000 tests taken over the past week.

Yesterday, despite the increased demand, there was good capacity through the system because of surge actions.

New pop-up testing sites at Coburg Lake Reserve in Coburg North and Featherbrook Reserve in Point Cook were established.

The department is publishing expected wait times at testing sites as well as updated information about locations and hours of operation at Where to get tested.

Circuit-breaker actions

Victoria’s new circuit-breaker actions are now in effect.

You cannot leave your home unless it is for one of four reasons: shopping for necessary goods and services; care and caregiving; exercise; and permitted work.

You must stay within five kilometres of your home. This limit does not apply to work or when giving or receiving care. You can leave your home in an emergency or if there is family violence.

Face masks must be worn indoors and outdoors whenever you leave your home.

These measures will be in place until 11.59pm on Wednesday 17 February, subject to public health advice.

These important measures are critical to our efforts to limit potential community cases of COVID-19 and to stay on top of our current situation. By limiting movement, we can limit the spread.

For more information about all the circuit-breaker actions, please visit the Coronavirus website.

General advice

Coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms include fever, sore throat, cough, shortness of breath and loss or change in sense of smell or taste. If you are experiencing any symptoms, wear a fitted face mask when you get tested.

Travel permit applications can be made through the Service Victoria portal.

For more information call the 24-hour Coronavirus Hotline at 1800 675 398 or visit the Coronavirus website.

Latest statewide numbers (data reported to 11:59pm yesterday):