Another COVID-19 case in Geelong

GEELONG recorded a new cornavirus case on Thursday, taking its overall total to 68, with two cases currently active.

Victoria recorded 77 new cases of coronavirus as police began patrolling entry into 10 of Melbourne’s COVID-19 hotspots in a desperate attempt to flatten the curve.

A total of 37 cases came from routine testing, while 27 are under investigation. Twenty patients have been hospitalised.

Five more cases have been linked to the Albanvale Primary School outbreak.

Victoria’s Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton urged those in the locked-down suburbs to do their bit in the fight against coronavirus.

“Stick to the rules and get to a testing station,” Professor Sutton said.

“This virus is not selective, it will impact anyone it encounters, and personal contact is the clear source of its transmission. 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.”

It comes after the Northern Territory reported a new confirmed case of coronavirus for the first time since April 6, with the man in his 30s who tested positive returning to Darwin from a Melbourne hotspot.

NT Health Minister Natasha Fyles said he had quarantined in Melbourne after returning from overseas, and then spent time with family in one of the hotspots.

And a security guard has blown the whistle on a serious lack of training at Melbourne’s quarantine hotels, identified as the source of the second outbreak of coronavirus.

The guard, identified only as George, broke a gag order to appear on the Today show, where he revealed he received only five minutes’ training before being tasked to one of Melbourne’s 15 quarantine hotels. He said the real problem was security companies hiring subcontractors to work at a much cheaper rate than regular guards.

A government spokesperson confirmed to Today that subcontractors were used “in some instances”.