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Has the outbreak spread? Victoria case confirmed in NSW

Author
news.com.au,
Publish Date
Wed, 2 Jun 2021, 8:53AM

Has the outbreak spread? Victoria case confirmed in NSW

Author
news.com.au,
Publish Date
Wed, 2 Jun 2021, 8:53AM

Victoria's coronavirus cluster may have spread to New South Wales after a confirmed Covid case revealed they had visited several towns while potentially infectious.

NSW Health revealed overnight the person said they travelled from Melbourne to Jervis Bay, Goulburn, Hyams Beach and Vincentia while potentially infectious on May 23 and 24.

The person, who reported the onset of symptoms on May 25 and was tested yesterday, drove back to Melbourne on May 24.

That was three days before Victoria's lockdown took effect on May 27.

NSW Health has issues a list of locations and is increasing testing capacity in the area.

"Anyone who lives in Jervis Bay, or has visited Jervis Bay since 22 May, is asked to be especially vigilant for the onset of even the mildest of cold-like symptoms, and is urged to come forward for testing immediately if they appear, then isolate until a negative result is received. Additionally, anyone who has recently had symptoms should also get tested," the department said.

Victorian officials are set to announce the snap lockdown will be extended after health officials and senior government figures met overnight.

Much concern rests on the specific Indian variant that has been spreading throughout the community and through aged care and countless sites in the state.

Experts have warned the pandemic is worse today than it was a year ago with new variants emerging regularly that are more transmissible and resistant to vaccines.

Officials have not confirmed a lockdown extension but the ABC, Age and Herald Sun have reported the lockdown will carry on beyond tomorrow's deadline.

It is unclear just how long it will last — reports indicate anywhere between three to seven days — but the Herald Sun says "tough restrictions [will] remain in place until at least early next week".

Regional Victoria is also fighting to stay open, citing no positive cases in country areas.

Meanwhile, the Menarock Life aged-care facility in Heathmont, Melbourne has reportedly gone into lockdown after a staff member was confirmed as a primary contact.

The Age reports that an all-staff email confirmed the contact, and the site went into lockdown just before 6pm yesterday.

"I can assure you we are doing everything possible to minimise any effect on our close-knit community," the email from facility management reads.

The facility has declined to comment.

It follows other lockdowns at BlueCross Western Gardens aged-care facility in Sunshine and Arcare Maidstone Aged Care Facility.

New figures confirm that less than 10 per cent of the nation's aged care workers are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, prompting a warning that "lives are at risk".

The Department of Health revealed that only 32,833 aged care workers have received two jabs of the vaccine.

The Department of Health revealed that only 32,833 aged care workers have received two jabs of the vaccine.

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