Two new COVID-19 cases no risk to public health, Premier says
Premier Daniel Andrews said Victoria's two new coronavirus cases are linked to known outbreaks and pose no risk to public health as he revealed more details about the QR code check-in system being developed by the state government.
After two consecutive days of no new cases and no deaths, the state recorded two of each over the past day. However, the deaths of two men, one in his 70s and the other in his 80s – both linked to aged care –occurred some weeks ago, Mr Andrews said.
"We've had two new cases since yesterday, both are close contacts of other positive cases," he said, adding that both were quarantining at home and presented no public health risk.
Victoria's testing chief, Jeroen Weimar, said both cases were linked to the northern suburbs outbreak, which has grown from 39 to 41 cases in the last day. The cluster was sparked by an outbreak at the Box Hill Hospital earlier this month.
"We have seen over 23,000 tests in the northern suburbs since the start of this outbreak a week ago," Mr Weimar said. "We are very encouraged by that, we continue to work hard to support the active cases, we now have 41 positive cases over 12 households, all of those are isolating and being supported."
In the past fortnight, more than 208,000 Victorians have been tested across Melbourne and regional Victoria, Mr Weimar said. He said 98 percent of tests were now being turned around in 24 hours.
"If you get tested today, you will have your result tomorrow. You won't be waiting for days on end," Mr Weimar said. "You will have a result tomorrow so you can plan ahead. So please don't delay, get tested, we will support you if you are positive, we will support you if you are close contact."
Mr Andrews confirmed the state was creating a tailored QR check-in tool – either an app or a website – that will operate within the state's existing digitised contact tracing software developed by US tech firm Salesforce.
The ACT Health Department had offered Victoria its existing app, but Mr Andrews said his government had opted to design a system that worked in co-ordination with the state's existing software rather than use an off-the-shelf product that might add another layer of software to contact tracing.
The technology, which is used by NSW, New Zealand and South Korea, allows contact tracers immediate access to information about who has been in a venue at a specific time, speeding up the tracing process by eliminating the need to engage with businesses who may be using pen-and-paper systems. The system works by getting people to scan a code using their smartphone to mark their attendance at a venue.
"I'm confident we will get a product that fits seamlessly into what I think is probably the best IT product anywhere in the country," Mr Andrews said, referring to the Salesforce system.
"It's important that we have not built a new [QR] system. It is important that having built a new system that the QR code system links, and that is what we are building and we will have more to say about that soon."
The new cases announced on Wednesday emerged as Melbourne pubs, cafes and shops began reopening on Wednesday morning.
There are now just three cases in the state from an unknown source. The rolling 14-day average of daily new cases in Victoria is 2.7. The mystery case tally means Melbourne has now achieved both of the targets for reopening set out in the state government's road map.
Mr Andrews again implored people to continue to get tested for the virus as an estimated 180,000 Victorians returned to work on Wednesday in the hospitality and retail industries.
There were more than 24,000 tests conducted on Tuesday and Mr Andrews said it was crucial as the economy opens up that Victorians continued to get tested even for the mildest of symptoms.
"This is critical," Mr Andrews said. "If we have a complete picture, if we know that you have got it we can make sure you do not spread it. That is the absolute. I know it sounds counter-intuitive, but we want to find the cases that are there so we can wrap support around you and make sure you don't unknowingly give it to anybody, whether it be people you love and live with or people you have never met.
The Premier said about 16,200 retail stores, 5800 cafes and restaurants and 1000 beauty salons had reopened their doors this morning for the first time in months.
"That is an achievement that every single Victorian should be proud of," he said. "I want to thank everybody in all of these industries for the very productive way in which they have continued to engage with us."
There are 80 active cases of COVID-19 in Victoria, all of them in Melbourne. For the first time since May 7, when authorities started publishing the figures, regional Victoria has no active cases. The number of active cases in regional Victoria peaked at 518 on August 11.
Meanwhile, Australia's Deputy Chief Medical Officer for Mental Health advised Melburnians not to try to rush back to normal life.
Dr Ruth Vine, the country's first top health bureaucrat focused purely on mental health, said this week's changes, with home visits allowed again as well, would provide an immediate fillip for mental health for some but not all.
"Yes, you have this sense of relief and sense that 'hey hey, maybe things are getting back to normal', but don’t rush too fast," Dr Vine told ABC’s Radio National.
"Don’t stop being vigilant. Measure that, moving out, and don't think some people aren't going to find it hard. There will be many difficult questions to answer still."
With Craig Butt and Michael Fowler
Melissa Cunningham is The Age's health reporter.
Paul is a reporter for The Age.