Melbourne set to bring back dreaded lockdown measures as city battles to contain Covid outbreak linked to infected Sydney removalist
- Melbourne could reduce numbers of visitors to homes and patrons at venues
- It's understood state government is discussing if restrictions should be imposed
- The Victorian city recorded eight new Covid-19 cases on Wednesday
Tough lockdown measures are expected to be imposed on Melbourne in the coming days after the city recorded eight new Covid-19 cases.
Visitors to homes and the number of patrons allowed inside venues could be reduced as the city grapples with the new outbreak.
The changes could come into effect as early as Thursday, industry figures told the Herald Sun.
It's likely venues will only allow seated dining and dance floors will again be banned.
Melbourne could see a string of restrictions being enforced in the coming days after eight new Covid-19 cases were recorded
It's understood the Victorian state government are weighing up which restrictions need to be enforced to curb the spread of the virus.
Four of the new cases recorded on Wednesday are residents on the third floor of the Ariele Apartments in Maribyrnong, which has been in lockdown since Monday night after infected removalists from Sydney visited the building.
Among those cases is a man in his 60s, who subsequently infected his parents, aged 89 and 90.
The man also attended an AFL match between Carlton and Geelong on Saturday and Highpoint Shopping Centre on Friday.
Three other new cases are from another apartment in the building. The two infected apartments are on the same floor.
Covid-19 Commander Jeroen Weimar urged anyone who has visited an exposure site or has symptoms to get tested.
'The next two days are particularly critical,' he told reporters on Wednesday.
'We are right on the heels of this particular outbreak.'
Victoria has recorded eight new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, with half linked to ground-zero apartment block Ariele Apartments in Maribyrnong (pictured)
Thousands of supporters in the members section of the MCG at the Carlton vs Geelong game on Saturday are now isolating after an infected person attended the match
A resident of the building aged in his 60s, as well as his parents aged 89 and 90, have all tested positive as the complex remains locked down
Some 200 residents of the Ariele Apartments were forced into 14 days of quarantine after a group of Sydney removalists did a pick up at the complex on Thursday while infectious.
The trio also did a drop off at a Craigieburn home the same day and visited several petrol stations and fast-food restaurants, which have been listed as tier-one exposure sites.
Mr Weimar confirmed the three removalists, two of whom have tested positive, weren't wearing masks, in a breach of their workers permit conditions.
'There was a permit in place and the permit has very clear obligations within it,' he said.
'You're in virtual isolation when you're in Victoria, you need to wear a mask.
'You need to be socially distanced, you need to stay in your cabin all the time and you're not doing five hours of removalist work in an apartment building — so we're concerned about that.'
Dr Weimar also said it has been a 'frustrating and challenging' process interviewing the removalists as they attempt to identify further exposure sites and close contacts.
'Well they're not being deliberately forthcoming, let me put it that way,' he said.
It is believed the trio slept in their trucks on Thursday night before travelling to South Australia the next morning.
It's also understood the removalists showered and had a meal at the Mobil service station in Ballan, around 80km north of Melbourne on Thursday evening.
Dr Weimar said it has been a 'frustrating and challenging' process interviewing the removalists as they attempt to identify further exposure sites and close contacts
The last remaining case is a man in his 30s who attended Coles Craigieburn at the same time as a member of a family who recently returned from Sydney infected with Covid-19.
Three members of the family flew into Melbourne on July 4, while a fourth drove back on Thursday.
The family had red zone permits to return to Victoria, meaning they have been required to self-isolate at home since their arrival.
A resident of the building aged in his 60s, as well as his parents aged 89 and 90, have all tested positive. Three other new cases are from another household in the building
One family member, however, visited Coles Craigieburn and a Metro petrol station in Broadmeadows, the latter a tier-one exposure site.
After initially testing negative when they first returned, all four have since tested positive for the virus.
There are now 2,000 AFL fans who have been potentially exposed to the virus with supporters in the members section of the MCG at the Carlton vs Geelong game on Saturday being identified as close contacts.
These footy fans are now in isolation.
Level 2 of the MCC Members' Reserve has been listed as a Tier 2 exposure site, meaning people must seek a test and isolate until they receive a result.
Anyone on Level 3 must monitor symptoms after it was listed as a low-risk Tier 3 exposure site.
More to come.
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