JULY 15, 2020 \ STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
Second wave surges By Benjamin Millar and Goya Dmytryshchak Almost 70 active coronavirus cases have been conirmed in Maribyrnong and Hobsons Bay as metropolitan Melbourne enters its second week of stage three “stay at home” restrictions. Maribyrnong had 43 active cases and a total of 84 on Monday, while Hobsons Bay had 26 active cases and a total of 57. Victoria’s overall coronavirus cases reached 4224 on Monday and the death of a man in his 70s took the death toll from the virus to 24. Victoria Police has established vehicle checkpoints across nine major arterial roads intercepting vehicles at random to ensure people are complying with restrictions. A Victoria Police spokesperson said automatic number plate recognition technology would also be used at these sites to detect vehicles registered to owners in restricted areas. “here will also be mobile police vehicles across the state enforcing the chief health oicer restrictions for the metro Melbourne and Mitchell Shire,” the spokesperson said. Nine coronavirus cases have now been linked to Cenvic Construction’s Riverina Apartments building site in Footscray, four cases have been linked to JBS Abattoir in Brooklyn and 14 have been linked to Somerville Meats in Tottenham. An Altona Meadows aged care worker tested positive last week. he employee at Benetas St George’s residential aged care last worked there on July 3 and was asymptomatic. he home to about 150 residents has been locked down and cleaning, testing and contact tracing are under way. hree more cases have been linked to the Woolworths Customer Fulilment Centre in West Footscray, taking the total to four – three staf members and a household contact of a staf member. A Woolworths spokesperson said the centre has undergone deep cleaning. “We will continue to ensure all relevant health and safety measures are in place regarding testing and social distancing to protect our team members.” Melbourne’s largest Islamic school, Al-Taqwa College in Truganina, has been linked to the state’s biggest cluster with 144 cases.
A police border checkpoint, part of a ‘ring of steel’ around Victoria’s lockdown suburbs. (Joe Mastroianni) 211041_01
Victorian students in prep to year 10 have had their school holidays extended until this Friday ahead of a return to remote learning for the start of term three. Premier Daniel Andrews announced on Sunday that year 11 and 12 VCE students will return to face-to-face learning however all other students will be remote learning until at least August 19.
“Keeping kids home from school was a vital part of slowing the spread of coronavirus before, and it will be vital to our eforts again,” he said. Mr Andrews has also asked all Victorians living in metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire to wear face masks in situations when they are leaving their home and physical distancing is not possible, such as at the supermarket or on
public transport. he recommendations apply to adults but they will not be enforced. “he chief health oicer has now given us the clear advice that wearing face masks makes a tangible diference when it comes to reducing the transmission of coronavirus within the community – and that is why we are issuing this new recommendation,” Mr Andrews said.
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