Coles worker tests positive for coronavirus in Victoria as Melbourne's outbreak continues to spread across the city
- A Coles worker tested positive for COVID-19 and went into isolation this week
- The employee worked at Belmont Coles in Geelong, southwest of Melbourne
- The supermarket giant confirmed the store had undertaken a 'deep clean'
- Coles said the team member had not been in close contact with any other staff
A Coles supermarket worker has tested positive for coronavirus as Melbourne's outbreak continues to spread across Victoria.
The team member from Belmont Coles in Geelong, southwest of Melbourne, has been forced to self isolate this week after returning the positive test.
The supermarket giant confirmed it had undertaken a 'deep clean' of the High Street store and been cleared to trade.
A worker at Belmont Coles (pictured) in Geelong, southwest of Melbourne, has tested positive for coronavirus and been forced to go into self isolation this week
Coles said the worker had not been in close contact with other staff members and the store had undergone a deep clean. Pictured: A Coles worker behind a protective shield
'A team member at Coles' Belmont Victoria supermarket is self-isolating after testing positive for COVID-19,' a Coles spokesperson said.
'Coles worked with the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services to conduct contact tracing, which found the team member had not been in close contact with any other team members'.
Coles said its cleaning procedures complied with the Federal Government's COVID-19 Hygiene Practices For Supermarkets and it had conducted an additional deep clean of the store.
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'The Victorian Department of Health has confirmed the store can continue to trade and the risk of transmission for customers and team members is very low,' the spokesperson said.
Victorian Coles stores have reintroduced buying restrictions in the greater Melbourne area as the city re-entered a stage three lockdown on Wednesday night.
Customers have a two item limit on essential products like pasta, rice, flour and may only purchase one packet of toilet paper.
The six week stay-at-home order only allows residents to leave their homes for one of four essential reasons including, exercise, providing care or buying supplies.
The supermarket giant (pictured) reimposed buying limits on essential items in Victoria as Melbourne entered a strict stage three coronavirus lockdown for six weeks
Buying limits have not been applied to Geelong stores and Coles said it would monitor stock levels and ask customers to only purchase what they need.
The City of Greater Geelong recorded two new cases of coronavirus this week and has seen a total of 70 cases since the pandemic began.
Victoria recorded another 134 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, the second-highest daily total after a record 191 cases on Tuesday.
More than 850 cases remain active, an increase of nearly 800 in a month. Victoria has a total of 2942 COVID-19 cases.
Seven hundred police officers and 264 Australian Defence Force members will enforce the stage three lockdown, with booze bus-type checks in place.
Police can issue on-the-spot fines of up to $1652 to individuals and $9913 to businesses for flouting the rules.
The NSW-Victoria border has also been closed for the first time in a century.
Victoria recorded another 134 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, the second-highest daily total after a record 191 cases on Tuesday. Pictured: Drive-through coronavirus testing
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