Melbourne meat supplier at centre of new COVID-19 spike comes forward after government refused to name it
- Cedar Meats in Brooklyn, Melbourne has a cluster of 34 coronavirus cases
- The first case was recorded in early April and second worker in late April
- The factory closed for a deep clean on Friday and told workers to get tested
- The Victorian government refused to name the facility but it came forward
- Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19
The abattoir behind Australia's biggest coronavirus cluster has outed itself after the Victorian government refused to name it.
The Cedar Meats facility in Brooklyn, Melbourne is linked with 34 cases of the deadly disease.
The first case was recorded in early April and a second worker tested positive on April 23, according to 3AW.
The factory closed for a deep clean on Friday and employees, many of whom work in close quarters, were told to get tested.
Nineteen positive results were returned on Sunday, causing Victoria to have its biggest daily total since April 11 when 24 cases were recorded.
The Cedar Meats facility (pictured) in Brooklyn, Melbourne is linked with 34 cases of the deadly disease
One of the workers at the plant had an operation at Melbourne's Sunshine Hospital after a workplace accident on Thursday.
He tested positive for the virus over the weekend, prompting around 20 hospital workers to self-isolate.
Cedar Meats General Manager Tony Kairouz said: 'All workers are self-quarantining and we are working closely with the Victorian health authorities.
'All meat processed at our facilities is processed in accordance with Australian Standards for food safety and our customers can be confident that the meat processed at our facilities is safe to eat.'
The Victorian government's refusal to name the meatworks caused outrage among locals.
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Victorian Transport Association CEO Peter Anderson said the plant should have been named to protect truck drivers who deliver livestock and take away meat.
In a press conference today Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton: 'It's not for us to declare that it's a particular setting.
'If the meatworks wants to name itself to be clear that it doesn't involve other places, then they're free to do so.
'Naming it is not part of what's required for us to do our work.'
Meat processing plants globally are proving to be hotbeds for the disease because they have largely remained open despite employees working in close quarters.
In the US, meat factories have recorded 4,900 cases and at least 20 deaths.
Medical staff take down details after performing tests for the COVID-19 coronavirus on people who used a drive-through testing site in a Melbourne carpark on May 1
In Victoria there were 13,000 tests on Sunday - the largest amount of any state in one day - with 22 positive results.
There are now 1,406 cases in total in the state.
Victoria's state of alarm is set to finish on May 11, the earliest date the government will consider relaxing current social distancing restrictions.
The has launched a testing blitz that aims to complete 100,000 checks before next Monday.
On Sunday the government confirmed a teacher at Meadow Glen primary school in Epping had coronavirus and the school will be shut from Monday to Wednesday.
The teacher's infection was reported after Education Minister Dan Tehan accused Mr Andrews of failing in his leadership by keeping schools shut.
Mr Tehan later issued a statement withdrawing the remarks, saying he had overstepped the mark.
- 7NEWS Melbourne on Twitter: "Just as Victorians were hoping for some light at the end of the tunnel, a reminder today there's still a long way to go before the COVID-19 threat is beaten. https://t.co/5zYfOfohG3 @pauldowsley7 #7NEWS… ht ...
- State government under fire for refusing to name meatworks linked to 34 cases of COVID-19 – 3AW
