MITCHELL SHIRE EDITION
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WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 2020
DISASTER ON OUR DOORSTEP ■ JUST over the municipal border lies Victoria’s worst area for Coronavirus cases. The City of Hume tops the statewide list of COVID-19 cases, with 235 cases, as at Monday. Some 124 of those cases are ‘active’, says the Department of Health and Human Services. There have been reports of cases at Roxburgh Park and Craigieburn, where some local people shop. Mitchell Shire has had 20 cases, with eight of them still active this week. The Local Paper this week publishes a special report which lists the statistics of all Victorian local government areas affected by the Coronavirus. Premier Daniel Andrews has declared postcode 3064 as one of the restricted areas where people may leave their homes for vital reasons. 3064 includes Craigieburn, Donnybrook, Mickleham, Roxburgh Park, Kalkallo.
Special Report
Worst days of Coronavirus hit Restricted postcodes
Cases by Local Govt. Areas
■ For the restricted postcodes there are only four reasons to leave home. ■ To shop for food and essential goods and services. ■ For care or compassionate reasons (for example, this includes shared parenting obligations or providing care and support to an unwell, disabled, elderly or pregnant friend or relative). ■ Exercise. ■ For work or study – if you can’t do it from home.
As at Mondday, July 6 ■ Hume 235 (confirmed cases ever), 124 (active cases, current) ■ Melbourne 169, 82 ■ Brimbank 168, 62 ■ Wyndham 148, 86 ■ Moreland 127, 33 ■ Casey 120, 16 ■ Moonee Valley 110, 46 ■ Stonnington 105, 6 ■ Banyule 99, 3 ■ Whittlesea 84, 31 ■ Boroondara 81, 7 ■ Melton 81, 17 ■ Darebin 70, 14 ■ Greater Geelong 68, 0 ■ Interstate 65, 2 ■ Mornington Peninsula 63, 0 ■ Glen Eira 60, 2 ■ Monash 57, 3 ■ Port Phillip 57, 9 ■ Yarra 50, 13 ■ Maribyrnong 45, 16 ■ Frankston 42, 2 ■ Manningham 39, 6 ■ Bayside 36, 1 ■ Hobsons Bay 35, 13 ■ Kingston 35, 2 ■ Whitehorse 30, 5 ■ Greater Dandenong 28, 3 ■ Nillumbik 28, 1 ■ Yarra Ranges 28, 2 ■ Knox 26, 3 ■ Unknown 24, 19 ■ Cardinia 22, 0 ■ Mitchell 20, 8 ■ Maroondah 19, 3 ■ Greater Shepparton 15, 1 ■ Wellington 12, 0 ■ Ballarat 11, 0 ■ Moira 11, 0 ■ Greater Bendigo 10, 1 ■ Latrobe 9, 1 ■ Macedon Ranges 9, 0 ■ Surf Coast 9, 0 ■ Mount Alexander 6, 0 ■ Ararat 5, 0 ■ Baw Baw 5, 0 ■ Campaspe 5, 0 ■ Mildura 5, 0 ■ South Gippsland 5, 0 ■ Warrnambool 5, 0 ■ Bass Coast 4, 0 ■ Overseas 4, 0 ■ Swan Hill 4, 0 ■ Benalla 3, 0 ■ Horsham 3, 0 ■ Loddon 3, 0 ■ Mansfield 3, 0 ■ Moorabool 3, 0 ■ Northern Grampians 3, 0 ■ East Gippsland 2, 1 ■ Gannawarra 2, 0 ■ Hepburn 2, 0 ■ Murrindindi 2, 0 ■ Southern Grampians 2, 0 ■ Strathbogie 2, 0 ■ Wangaratta 2, 0 ■ Wodonga 2, 1 ■ Alpine 1, 0 ■ Central Goldfields 1, 0 ■ Corangamite 1, 0 ■ Glenelg 1, 0 ■ Golden Plains 1, 0 ■ Moyne 1, 0 ■ West Wimmera 1, 0 ■ Yarriambiack 1, 0 Total 2660, 645
● 3000 people in nine towers are in total lockdown. Photo courtesy SBS
■ The total number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in Victoria, as at Monday (July 6) wass 2660 with 127 new cases reported on Sunday (July 5). The overall total has increased by 124, with three cases reclassified. Within Victoria, 34 new cases are linked to outbreaks, 40 new cases have been identified through routine testing and 53 cases are under investigation. No case has been detected in a returned traveller in hotel quarantine. There have been two new deaths reported since Sunday. A man in his 90s passed away in hospital On Sunday and the Department has confirmed another man in his 60s passed away in hospital on Monday morning. To date, 22 people have died from coronavirus in Victoria. There have been 416 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Victoria that have been acquired through unknown transmission. There are currently 645 active cases in Victoria. Currently, 31 people with coronavirus infection are in hospital, including five patients in intensive care. 1992 people have recovered from the virus. Of the total 2660 cases, there have been 2307 in metropolitan Melbourne and 260 in regional Victoria. The total number of cases is made up of 1397 men and 1244 women. More than 952,000 tests have been processed to date. It was announced the border between Victoria and New South Wales will be closed from 11.59pm on Tuesday (July 7) With outbreaks occurring in public housing towers in North Melbourne and Flemington, the Victorian Government has implemented new measures to slow the spread of the virus amongst these communities. The nine towers involved are now closed and residents are required to stay in their homes at all times. This will be in place to ensure we can test every single resident. The lifting of this restriction will be determined by our success in testing and tracking this virus. On the advice of health experts, 3031, 3051, 3012, 3021, 3032, 3038, 3042, 3046, 3047, 3055, 3060 and 3064 postcodes must follow the Stay at Home directions until July 29. People who live in these restricted postcodes are only allowed to go out for four reasons: shopping for food and supplies, medical care and caregiving – including to be tested for COVID-19, exercise and study or work – if unable to work or study from home. For people living outside these re-
■ 22 dead ■ 2660 cases ■ 127 cases on Monday ■ 40 new cases through routine tests on Monday stricted postcodes, there are only four reasons to go into those postcodes: shopping for food and supplies, care and caregiving, exercise and study or work. People who live in these postcodes cannot have visitors to their home, or visit other homes, except for caregiving or compassionate reasons, or receiving services. Businesses and facilities in these postcodes that have reopened will again be restricted. Cafes and restaurants will only be able to open for take-away and delivery services. “Victorians in these locked down suburbs are being urged to do their bit in the fight against coronavirus – stick to the rules and get to a testing station,” Victoria’s Chief Health Officer Professor Brett Sutton said. “This virus is not selective, it will impact anyone it encounters, and personal contact is the clear source of its transmission. More than 300,000 people live across these suburbs. We need everyone to do their part and ensure it is stopped in its tracks. “There is no excuse for not getting tested. We have people knocking on your door, coming to your neighbourhood – we are bringing the testing to you. There are also several drive-through and fixed sites where people can go. “And no matter where you live, it remains critical to practice good hygiene in and outside the home – wash your hands regularly, cough and sneeze into a tissue or your elbow and try to avoid touching your face, “Stay 1.5 metres away from anyone you don’t live with and avoid crowds, especially indoors. If you can keep working from home – you must keep working from home. “Don’t take this disease lightly. if you feel unwell with any symptoms of coronavirus, however mild, you should stay home and get tested. “If you have any fever, chills, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, runny nose, and loss of sense of smell or taste - stay home, don’t go in to work and don’t visit friends and family. Get tested and stay at home until you get the result,” Professor Sutton said.
3012 – includes Brooklyn, Kingsville, Maidstone, Tottenham, West Footscray 3021 – includes Albanvale, Kealba, Kings Park, St Albans 3032 – includes Ascot Vale, Highpoint City, Maribyrnong, Travancore 3038 – includes Keilor Downs, Keilor Lodge, Taylors Lakes, Watergardens 3042 – includes Airport West, Keilor Park, Niddrie, Niddrie North 3046 – includes Glenroy, Hadfield, Oak Park 3047 – includes Broadmeadows, Dallas, Jacana 3055 – includes Brunswick South, Brunswick West, Moonee Vale, Moreland West 3060 – includes Fawkner 3064 – includes Craigieburn, Donnybrook, Mickleham, Roxburgh Park, Kalkallo From 11:59pm last Saturday (July 4) additional postcodes became restricted: 3031 – includes Flemington, Kensington 3051 – includes Hotham Hill, North Melbourne
Radio station hit by arson
Where COVID-19 is active
■ Alfred Hospital: One case in a healthcare worker at the Alfred Hospital. It’s believed the worker attended the site while infectious. Contact tracing is under way and the department is working closely with the hospital to ensure all appropriate public health actions are taken. ■ Ascot Vale: One new case at the Ascot Vale Primary School, a known close contact of an existing case, taking the total cases to two. ■ Brooklyn: One new case at the JBS abattoir in Brooklyn. All staff at the site are being tested and the department’s outbreak squad will visit to ensure the appropriate public health actions are taken. ■ Camberwell: One new case linked to the Camberwell Grammar School outbreak, taking the total to four. ■ City: The department is also investigating cases linked to Telstra Bourke St. Close contacts are in quarantine and the store has been deep cleaned. ■ City - Stamford Plaza: Two new cases linked to the Stamford Plaza outbreak, one household contact and one contracted security guard who was already in quarantine. ■ Deer Park: One new case is linked to a Deer Park gathering, ■ Docklands: Two new cases at the Optus head office, taking the total to five cases. A deep clean has been undertaken and investigation into potential transmission occurring via social settings outside of work is ongoing. ■ Epping: Two new healthcare worker cases linked to the Northern Hospital Epping Emergency Department, taking the total number of cases linked to the outbreak to five. ■ Lysterfield/Patterson Lakes: Two new cases linked to the Patterson Lakes/Lysterfield family outbreak, both close contacts of known cases, taking the total to 15. ■ North Melbourne: One new case relates to the North Melbourne public housing apartments outbreak, taking the total to 11 cases ■ North Melbourne and Flemington: 16 cases relating to the North Melbourne and Flemington public housing towers. These cases, plus existing cases on site that have now been linked to the outbreak, take the total number of cases to 53. ■ Roxburgh Park: Two new cases linked to the Roxburgh Park outbreak, two close contacts of a known case ■ Royal Melbourne Hospital: One case in a healthcare worker at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, a close contact of a known case. ■ St Albans: One new case in a healthcare worker at the Joan Kirner Women’s and Children’s Hospital, a close contact of a known case who was already in quarantine. ■ Thomastown: One new case at the Pacific Meats abattoir in Thomastown. The site has closed, and all workers will be tested. ■ Truganina: One new case linked to the Truganina family outbreak, a close contact of a known case, taking the total number of cases linked to the outbreak to 16. ■ Truganina: 14 new cases linked to the Al-Taqwa College outbreak, all previously identified school contacts. We have also linked some existing cases, taking the total number of cases linked to the outbreak to 77. ■ Tullamarine: The department has been notified of a case in a contracted healthcare worker undertaking duties at the Park Royal Hotel. The person is believed to have worked shifts while infectious. The source of acquisition is currently unknown and all avenues of transmission will be investigated. The contact tracing process is underway, with all appropriate public health actions being implemented, including cleaning, quarantine and testing. ■ West Footscray: One case in a worker from the Woolworths online fulfillment centre. It’s believed the person worked shifts while infectious and the contact tracing process is underway.
● Seymour FM’s transmitter destroyed by arson on Sunday ■ The transmitter facility for Seymour FM 103.9 at Granite Park was destroyed by an arson attackon Sunday morning. The station is broadcasting via a smaller temporary facility at the studio complex in the meantime. There have many offers of loan equipment. Station President Ian McOwan said that four people, wearing hoods, entered the premises a few times from 9.50pm Saturday, and 40 minutes later into the transmitter room, cutting the power and therefore the surveillance cameras. Victoria Police are investigating, including Arson Squads of VicPol and CFA, Mr McOwan said.
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■ ‘We will restore CFA’: McLeish. Page 8 ■ Shire satisfaction rating drops. Page 9 ■ Mitchell Shire’s best buying guide ■ Local Trades Guide
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