JULY 15, 2020 \ STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
College cases top 140 By Alesha Capone More than 140 coronavirus cases have been linked to an outbreak at Al-Taqwa College in Truganina, making it one of the largest outbreaks in Victoria. he Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) irst reported cases of the virus at Al-Taqwa of June 29. On Tuesday there were 147 cases linked to the college. It comes as a resident of Glendale Aged Care in Werribee – great-grandfather Alf Jordan, 90 – died in hospital on Friday from coronavirus. As of Monday, there were 13 cases linked to the aged care facility. Wyndham had 209 active cases as the number of cases across the state reached 4224. here were 85 Victorians in hospital, including 26 patients in intensive care. More than 2000 Al-Taqwa students and 300 school employees have been tested for the virus, according to DHHS. Students, staf and close contacts are among those who have returned positive results. Victoria’s chief health oicer Brett Sutton said it is believed there was a link between the Al-Taqwa outbreak and the outbreaks at public housing towers in North Melbourne and Flemington. “hese are communities that cross over between Truganina and these towers,” he said. On Monday, Channel Seven reported that Al-Taqwa would remain closed for an extra week, despite term three resuming for VCE and VCAL students across the rest of the state. It reported that a letter, sent from college principal Omar Hallak to parents said: “Students, staf or visitors will NOT be permitted to come to the College until further notice.” In a statement released last week, Mr Hallak said: “We have been vigilant since the outbreak of COVID-19 and put in place safety measures to keep all staf, students and the wider community safe.” Mr Hallak said that the school had implemented daily temperature checks for all staf, students and school visitors. “Any staf or student that presented with even the mildest cold and lu symptoms were sent back home as a safety precaution,” he said.
Al-Taqwa College. (Joe Mastroianni). 211044_04
“Good hygiene posters were placed all around the school as were hand sanitisers to ensure everyone was practising good hygiene and told to social distance. We have taken additional measures since the outbreak,
including spending over $100,000 on additional cleaning and hygiene measures, involving an organisation approved by DHHS.” On Monday Premier Daniel Andrews said students from years prep to 10 would resume
remote schooling until at least August 19. “It’s not easy. but we can’t have 700,000 kids, plus mums and dads and carers, moving around the state, every morning, every night, all that will do is drive up numbers,” he said.
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