JULY 8, 2020 \ STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
Six week lockdown By Alesha Capone
COVID COUNCILS
Wyndham has the second highest number of active COVID-19 cases in Victoria, as the state government reintroduced a stage 3 lockdown across metropolitan Melbourne. More than 40 newly diagnosed cases over the past two days pushed the number of active cases in Wyndham to 105 on Tuesday. Hume is the only Victorian municipality to have more active cases – as of Tuesday it had recorded 145. It comes as Victoria grapples with its worst day since coronavirus was recorded in Australia, with 191 new active cases yesterday, bringing the state’s total number to 772. here have been 22 deaths from coronavirus in Victoria. According to the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), the number of coronavirus cases linked to an outbreak at Al-Taqwa College in Truganina has reached 90. At the weekend, school principal Omar Hallak released a statement which said college management, staf and students “have been very vigilant since the outbreak of COVID-19”. He said the college’s management had implemented daily temperature checks for all staf, students and any visitors to the school; placed hand sanitisers around the school; and put social distancing practices into action. Under the strict new guidelines, no visitors are allowed in people’s houses and public gatherings will be restricted to two people outside your household. he only reason people in the locked down areas will be allowed to leave their homes will be for shopping for essential items and food, medical reasons and caregiving, work and study, and exercise. School holidays, due to end this week, will be extended by a week, other than for years 11 and 12 and special needs students. Retail shops will remain open subject to the one person per four square metres rule, as will food markets and hairdressers. Cafes, restaurants, pubs, clubs and bars will be takeaway only. At least another 16 coronavirus cases have been linked to a Truganina family outbreak. A worker from the Donut King outlet at Paciic Werribee tested positive to COVID-19
There are 772 active coronavirus cases in Victoria. [active cases by local government area as of Tuesday, July 7]. • Hume: 145 • Wyndham: 105 • Melbourne: 97 • Brimbank: 77 • Moonee Valley: 50 • Moreland: 38 • Whittlesea: 36 • Melton: 20 • Maribyrnong: 21 • Casey: 20 • Yarra: 19 • Hobsons Bay: 17 • Darebin: 16 • Port Phillip: 12 • Boroondara: 8 • Mitchell: 7 • Manningham: 8 • Whitehorse: 7 • Stonnington: 6 * Areas with less than 5 cases have not been included in this list.
Clockwise from top: Police man checkpoints at a suburb in lockdown. (Damjan Janevski) 210687_01; A pop-up coronavirus testing site.
on Sunday, according to a memo sent to other shopping centre retailers. he memo said the Donut King employee last worked on Wednesday, July 1. Paciic Werribee centre manager Patricia Gardiner said: “he safety and wellbeing of
our customers, retailers, staf, contractors and suppliers at Paciic Werribee is always our overriding priority and we take this notiication extremely seriously. “Paciic Werribee and the tenant are working closely with the DHHS and are following their
advice in how to respond to this matter. “his includes taking steps to understand who may have been in recent contact with the person who tested positive, so DHHS can contact trace, and undertaking a deep clean of the tenancy with high-grade disinfectant.”
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THE SITUATION IN RELATION TO COVID-19 IS CHANGING AT A RAPID RATE. For up to date health information from the State Government, visit www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/coronavirus For information on Council services visit www.wyndham.vic.gov.au/COVID19