Victorians will be plunged into their sixth Covid-19 lockdown after the state recorded eight new infections.
The state-wide shutdown will start at 8pm on Thursday and last for a week. It comes just nine days after Victorians were released from the previous lockdown.
Premier Daniel Andrews said there was ‘no alternative’ because the Indian Delta strain of coronavirus is so contagious.
‘None of us want to be in a situation where we have to lockdown again but the Delta variant moves so fast,’ he said.
‘There are no alternatives to lockdown. If you wait, it will spread. And once it spreads, you can never even hope to run alongside it.
‘I would prefer we didn’t have to make this decision now. But my fear is if we were to wait a few days there is every chance instead of being locked down for a week, this gets away from us.’
Residents are only allowed to leave home for exercise, essential shopping, care-giving, essential work and getting vaccinated.
Melbourne residents are seen wearing masks during the state’s previous lockdown in July
With stay at home orders kicking in at 8pm, Mr Andrews told residents: ‘Go home, and begin that lockdown.
‘Don’t be out and about because all you might be doing is spreading the virus.’
Mr Andrews asked residents to ‘assume you have Covid’ and immediately get tested if suffering any cold and flu symptoms – and he also urged people to obey the rules.
‘I plead with all Victorians please don’t go and visit family and friends, because you might well be contributing to the spread of the virus,’ he said.
The premier said he wanted the lockdown to be successful so the state could open up quickly.
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT VICTORIA’S NEW LOCKDOWN
– The lockdown is scheduled to run from Thursday August 5 at 8pm for seven days
– There will be only five lawful reasons to leave home
1. Essential shopping
2. Two hours of daily exercise within a 5km radius
3. To seek or provide medical care
4. Work or study that cannot be done from home.
5. To go and get vaccinated.
– Face masks will be mandatory indoors and outdoors
– Schools will return to online learning
– 5km travel limit for essential tasks, including shopping and exercise
– If your business was closed during the last lockdown, they must close this lockdown
– Hospitality open for takeaway only
– General retail is closed, as well as all non-essential businesses
– Visitors to the home are banned
– Funerals capped at ten people, while weddings are banned
– Professional sport can proceed but with no crowds
– Outdoor parks and play areas are open, but those indoors must close
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‘I’m determined and I believe we have every chance of being open for the vast majority of the time between now and when we are up to 80 per cent of people who have had the jab.
‘That is absolutely doable. We all have to pay our part to achieve that outcome,’ he said.
Mr Andrews said the whole of the state had to be locked down because of a positive sewage test in Wangaratta, 236km north-east of Melbourne, which indicated cases had already escaped the capital.
‘With one sewerage detection we have to assume there are cases,’ he said.
Victoria recorded six new cases – including two of unknown origin – on Thursday plus an additional two cases that will be lodged in tomorrow’s numbers.
Twenty-one venues have been identified as exposure sites, including a pharmacy, service station, cafe and gym. They are mostly located in the western suburbs of Truganina, Caroline Springs, Altona North, Newport and Spotswood.
The Victorian Department of Health on Wednesday confirmed a female teacher at the Al-Taqwa College (pictured) in Truganina in the city’s west may have been infectious in the community for a week. The teacher lives with her partner in the Hobsons Bay area, he has also tested positive along with two of his family members
One of the two new mystery cases is a teacher in her 20s at a prestigious Islamic school in Melbourne – whose positive result has sent 2,100 students and 300 staff members into isolation for 14 days.
The teacher, who lives in the Hobsons Bay area and works at Al-Taqwa College in Truganina in the city’s west was diagnosed on Wednesday and may have been infectious in the community and the school for a week.
The teacher’s partner, who lives with her, has also tested positive. He works in Caroline Springs and is plays for local Australian Rules club Newport. He played a match on July 31 against West Footscray at Shorten Reserve and members of both teams have been instructed to get tested and isolate.
Two of his family members, who do not live with the couple, returned positive tests today.
A man who lives in the Maribrynong local government area and works at a warehouse in the western suburb of Derrimut is the second new positive case with an unknown source.
Mr Andrews warned on Thursday that his ‘government’s priority is to avoid what’s going on in Sydney’, where Delta variant case numbers continue to rise.
‘We have got to do everything we can to avoid cases getting out of control like they are in Sydney,’ the Premier said.
‘Everybody has been very clear about the fact there’s only one real way to deal with Delta outbreaks.
‘But it’s too early to say what will happen in relation to these cases – we’re still waiting on interviews, test results, genomic sequencing.’
Alarmingly, of Thursday’s cases only three were linked to the outbreaks and were self-isolating while infectious.
The other three cases announced on Wednesday are linked to a testing site traffic controller at Moonee Valley Racecourse who tested positive a week ago with the source of the infection still unknown. The three case were isolating during their infectious period.
TWO NEW MYSTERY CASES
Female school teacher who lives in the Hobsons Bay area in southwest Melbourne and works at Al-Taqwa College in the western suburb of Truganina
A man who lives in the Maribrynong local government area in northwest Melbourne and works at a warehouse in the western suburb of Derrimut
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Spectacle Hub in Caroline Springs is of particular concern after being listed as a tier one site for six days – July 27, 28, 29 and 30 plus August 2 and 3.
Anyone who attended the store during these periods is required to get tested and isolate for 14 days.
Victorian Health Minister Martin Foley said it was expected that more than 10,000 people could soon become primary close contacts of the new outbreak and be required to isolate.
‘Given our understanding of the school community as well as the other exposure sites, we will very quickly pass five to 10,000 close contacts and secondary contacts within hours if not days,’ he said.
It is a major setback coming just hours after Mr Andrews and his top officials celebrated a ‘doughnut day’ of zero cases.
Just yesterday, Mr Andrews had written simply ‘zero’ in a post on his official Facebook account to celebrate the state’s first day without a local infection since July 12.
His chief health officer Professor Brett Sutton had tweeted the result alongside a GIF of Olympic gold medal winning swimmer Ariarne Titmus’s coach Dean Boxall doing his famous celebration dance in Tokyo.
The celebrations appear to have been premature.
Victoria’s Covid-19 Testing Commander Jeroen Weimar said authorities had been unable to connect the Hobsons Bay outbreak and the Maribyrnong case on Thursday.
‘We’re keeping a completely open mind about lines of investigation,’ he said.
‘As we always do with these cases when we find a case where we can’t make that immediate connection, we go as wide as possible… at this point, nothing’s ruled out.’
Pictured: Victorian Premier, Daniel Andrews speaks to the media at a press conference in Melbourne
Mr Andrews wrote simply ‘zero’ in a post on his official Facebook account to celebrate the state recording no locally-acquired cases of Covid-19 on Wednesday
Al-Taqwa College said classes would be conducted online until August 18 unless the health department advised otherwise.
The Ilim College and Australian International Academy campuses as well as the Islamic College of Melbourne (ICOM) at Tarneit in Melbourne’s west were also shut on Thursday as a precaution.
In separate letters, the three schools reassured parents that none of their students or staff had tested positive so far.
‘There are many primary contacts at ICOM who may have been in contact with the Al-Taqwa positive confirmed case,’ one said.
The Al-Taqwa teacher is isolating and being interviewed by contract tracers and with urgent investigations are underway into how she contracted the virus.
Two people wearing PPE are seen at Al-Taqwa College in Truganina, Melbourne on Thursday morning
Mr Weimar said the teacher became symptomatic at the end of last week and may have been infectious in the community for a week before testing positive.
‘From July 28 to July 30 is the point in time when we’re assuming she may have been infectious,’ he told ABC Radio on Thursday.
The college has been listed as a tier one exposure site across those three days, while a Coles at Yarraville is a tier two site for specific times on July 29.
Mr Weimar said some exposure sites listed in the Hobsons Bay area of Melbourne’s south-west might be a connection point for the woman’s infection.
Al-Taqwa College was a significant location for transmission in last year’s second wave.
Thursday marks the one-year anniversary of Victora recording 725 cases, the highest daily number of infections in its deadly second wave of the virus.
COVID EXPOSURE SITES IN MELBOURNE
SITES ADDED AUGUST 5
Truganina
Al-Taqwa College
02/08/2021 8:30am – 5:00pm Case attended venue
Tier 1 – Get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from exposure includes all staff, students, families and visitors
Truganina
Al-Taqwa College
03/08/2021 8:30am – 5:00pm Case attended venue
Tier 1 – Get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from exposure includes all staff, students, families and visitors
Truganina
Al-Taqwa College
04/08/2021 8:30am – 5:00pm Case attended venue
Tier 1 – Get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from exposure includes all staff, students, families and visitors
Altona North
Aldi – Millers Junction Village
04/08/2021 3:00pm – 4:30pm Case attended venue
Tier 2 – Get tested urgently and isolate until you have a negative result
Altona North
Bayfit Leisure Centre
02/08/2021 9:00am – 10:30am Case attended venue
Tier 1 – Get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from exposure
Laverton North
Poultry Palace
02/08/2021 10:30am – 11:20am Case attended venue
Tier 1 – Get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from exposure
Caroline Springs
Spectacle Hub – CS Square
27/07/2021 9:45am – 3:30pm Case attended venue
Tier 1 – Get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from exposure
Caroline Springs
Spectacle Hub – CS Square
28/07/2021 9:00am – 5:30pm Case attended venue
Tier 1 – Get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from exposure
Caroline Springs
Male Toilets next to Aldi (CS Square Centre)
03/08/2021 9:00am – 5:30pm Case attended venue
Tier 2 – Get tested urgently and isolate until you have a negative result
Caroline Springs
Male Toilets next to Aldi (CS Square Centre)
02/08/2021 9:00am – 5:30pm Case attended venue
Tier 2 – Get tested urgently and isolate until you have a negative result
Caroline Springs
Male Toilets next to Aldi (CS Square Centre)
30/07/2021 9:00am – 6:30pm Case attended venue
Tier 2 – Get tested urgently and isolate until you have a negative result
Altona North
Pharmacy 4 Less
31/07/2021 10:30am – 11:00am Case attended venue
Tier 2 – Get tested urgently and isolate until you have a negative result
Caroline Springs
Da Barber House – CS Square
30/07/2021 5:45pm – 7:00pm Case attended venue
Tier 1 – Get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from exposure
Altona North
Wolf Cafe & Eatery
01/08/2021 9:30am – 10:45am Case attended venue
Tier 1 – Get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from exposure
Altona North
Caltex Woolworths Altona North
31/07/2021 11:00am – 11:35am Case attended venue
Tier 2 – Get tested urgently and isolate until you have a negative result
Spotswood
Elite Sports Performance Gym
03/08/2021 6:50am – 8:20am Case attended venue
Tier 1 – Get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from exposure
Altona North
Elm Rd Family Clinic
31/07/2021 10:00am – 11:00am Case attended venue
Tier 1 – Get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from exposure
Newport
Star Pizza & Pasta Cafe
31/07/2021 6:45pm – 7:40pm Case attended venue
Tier 2 – Get tested urgently and isolate until you have a negative result
Caroline Springs
NAB Branch ATM – CS Square
30/07/2021 1:30pm – 2:00pm Case attended venue
Tier 2 – Get tested urgently and isolate until you have a negative result
Newport
Newport 1881 Coffee – Pastries
29/07/2021 9:15am – 9:45am Case attended venue
Tier 2 – Get tested urgently and isolate until you have a negative result
Caroline Springs
Woolworths Caroline Springs
29/07/2021 2:00pm – 2:40pm Case attended venue
Tier 2 – Get tested urgently and isolate until you have a negative result
Newport
Newport 1881 Coffee – Pastries
30/07/2021 8:20am – 8:50am Case attended venue
Tier 2 – Get tested urgently and isolate until you have a negative result
Caroline Springs
Spectacle Hub – CS Square
29/07/2021 10:00am – 6:15pm Case attended venue
Tier 1 – Get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from exposure
Caroline Springs
Spectacle Hub – CS Square
30/07/2021 9:00am – 6:30pm Case attended venue
Tier 1 – Get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from exposure
Caroline Springs
Spectacle Hub – CS Square
02/08/2021 9:00am – 5:30pm Case attended venue
Tier 1 – Get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from exposure
Caroline Springs
Spectacle Hub – CS Square
03/08/2021 9:00am – 5:30pm Case attended venue
Tier 1 – Get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from exposure
SITES ADDED AUGUST 4
Truganina
Al-Taqwa College
28/07/2021 8:30am – 5:00pm Case attended venue
Tier 1 – Get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from exposure – includes all staff, students, families and visitors.
Truganina
Truganina Al-Taqwa College
02/08/2021 8:30am – 5:00pm Case attended venue
Tier 1 – Get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from exposure includes all staff, students, families and visitors
Truganina
Al-Taqwa College
29/07/2021 8:30am – 5:00pm Case attended venue
Tier 1 – Get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from exposure includes all staff, students, families and visitors.
Truganina
Al-Taqwa College
30/07/2021 8:30am – 5:00pm Case attended venue
Tier 1 – Get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from exposure – includes all staff, students, families and visitors.
Yarraville
Coles (Yarraville)
29/07/2021 4:30pm – 5:30pm Case attended venue
Tier 2 – Get tested urgently and isolate until you have a negative result
SITE ADDED JULY 31
Altona North
Body Fit Training Altona North
28/07/2021 5:20am – 7:00am Case attended venue
Tier 2 – Get tested urgently and isolate until you have a negative result
SITES ADDED JULY 30
Doncaster
Woolworths Doncaster – Devon Plaza
28/07/2021 10:20am – 11:25am Case attended venue
Tier 1 – Get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from exposure
Hawthorn
Balmoral Apartment Complex Hawthorn (Robinson Road Building)
21/07/2021 12:00am – 11:59pm
NOTE: Some individuals may be required to quarantine for 14 days and should follow the advice provided by the department.
Tier 2 – Get tested urgently and isolate until you have a negative result
Hawthorn
Balmoral Apartment Complex Hawthorn (Robinson Road Building)
22/07/2021 12:00am – 11:59pm NOTE: Some individuals may be required to quarantine for 14 days and should follow the advice provided by the department.
Tier 2 – Get tested urgently and isolate until you have a negative result
Hawthorn
Balmoral Apartment Complex Hawthorn (Robinson Road Building)
23/07/2021 12:00am – 11:59pm NOTE: Some individuals may be required to quarantine for 14 days and should follow the advice provided by the department.
Tier 2 – Get tested urgently and isolate until you have a negative result
SITES ADDED JULY 28
Moonee Ponds
Moonee Valley Racecourse Drive-Through Testing Site
25/07/2021 7:20am – 6:00pm Case attended
Tier 3 – Monitor for symptoms
Moonee Ponds
Moonee Valley Racecourse Drive-Through Testing Site
26/07/2021 7:20am – 6:00pm Case attended
Tier 3 – Monitor for symptoms
Frankston South
Chemist Warehouse Baxter
24/07/2021 3:45pm – 4:15pm Case attended
Tier 2 – Get tested urgently and isolate until you have a negative result
Frankston
Ritchies IGA Liquor (Towerhill)
24/07/2021 4:10pm – 4:35pm Case attended
Tier 2 – Get tested urgently and isolate until you have a negative result
Altona North
Woolworths (Borrack Square)
24/07/2021 5:15pm – 6:30pm Case attended
Tier 2 – Get tested urgently and isolate until you have a negative result
Yarraville
7-Eleven (Yarraville)
25/07/2021 7:05am – 7:50am Case attended
Tier 2 – Get tested urgently and isolate until you have a negative result
Frankston
Karingal Hub Shopping Centre
24/07/2021 11:45am – 12:40pm Case attended
Tier 2 – Get tested urgently and isolate until you have a negative result
Frankston
Coles Supermarket (Karingal Hub Shopping Centre)
24/07/2021 11:45am – 12:40pm Case attended
Tier 2 – Get tested urgently and isolate until you have a negative result
Frankston South
United Petroleum Baxter
26/07/2021 7:15am – 7:30am Case attended
Tier 2 – Get tested urgently and isolate until you have a negative result
SITE ADDED JULY 24
Hawthorn
H Hawthorn Apartment Complex
22/07/2021 12:00am – 11:59pm Case attended
Tier 2 – Get tested urgently and isolate until you have a negative result
SITES ADDED JULY 23
Docklands
LaCrosse Building
21/07/2021 12:00am – 11:59pm – Case attended venue
Tier 1 – Get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from exposure
Docklands
LaCrosse Building
22/07/2021 12:00am – 11:59pm – Case attended venue
Tier 1 – Get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from exposure
Docklands
LaCrosse Building
23/07/2021 12:00am – 11:59pm – Case attended venue
Tier 1 – Get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days from exposure
Hawthorn
Balmoral Apartment Complex Hawthorn (Riversdale Road Building & Inverleith Road Building)
21/07/2021 12:00am – 11:59pm Case attended venue
Tier 3 – Monitor for symptoms
Hawthorn
Balmoral Apartment Complex Hawthorn (Riversdale Road Building & Inverleith Road Building)
22/07/2021 12:00am – 11:59pm Case attended venue
Tier 3 – Monitor for symptoms
Hawthorn
Balmoral Apartment Complex Hawthorn (Riversdale Road Building & Inverleith Road Building)
23/07/2021 12:00am – 11:59pm Case attended venue
Tier 3 – Monitor for symptoms
Camberwell
Woolworths Camberwell
21/07/2021 7:07am – 7:45am Case attended venue
Tier 2 – Get tested urgently and isolate until you have a negative result
Hawthorn East
Shell Coles Express Auburndale
21/07/2021 6:30pm – 7:15pm Case attended venue
Tier 2 – Get tested urgently and isolate until you have a negative result
Hawthorn East
Thirsty Camel Bottleshop
21/07/2021 6:30pm – 7:10pm Case attended venue
Tier 2 – Get tested urgently and isolate until you have a negative result
Hawthorn
Renaissance Hawthorn IGA Plus Liquor
21/07/2021 6:55pm – 7:40pm Case attended venue
Tier 2 – Get tested urgently and isolate until you have a negative result
Public Transport
Yarra Trams – Route 86 (La Trobe/Spencer Street, Stop 119 to Swanston/Bourke Street, Stop 6)
21/07/2021 2:50pm – 3:20pm Case travelled on public transport
Tier 2 – Get tested urgently and isolate until you have a negative result
Yarra Trams – Route 86 (Elizabeth/Bourke Street, Stop 5 to La Trobe/Spencer Street, Stop 119)
21/07/2021 3:35pm – 4:05pm Case travelled on public transport
Tier 2 – Get tested urgently and isolate until you have a negative result
Richmond
ARK Richmond Apartment Complex
21/07/2021 12:00am – 11:59pm Case at apartment complex
Tier 2 – Get tested urgently and isolate until you have a negative result
Hawthorn
H Hawthorn Apartment Complex
21/07/2021 12:00am – 11:59pm Case at apartment complex
Tier 2 – Get tested urgently and isolate until you have a negative result
Cremorne
Aparthotel Cremorne Apartment Complex
21/07/2021 12:00am – 11:59pm Case at apartment complex
Tier 2 – Get tested urgently and isolate until you have a negative result
Cremorne
Aparthotel Cremorne Apartment Complex
22/07/2021 12:00am – 11:59pm Case at apartment complex
Tier 2 – Get tested urgently and isolate until you have a negative result
Camberwell
Anderson Park Apartment Complex
20/07/2021 12:00am – 11:59pm Case at apartment complex
Tier 2 – Get tested urgently and isolate until you have a negative result
Camberwell
Anderson Park Apartment Complex
21/07/2021 12:00am – 11:59pm Case at apartment complex
Tier 2 – Get tested urgently and isolate until you have a negative result
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