SURGE IN GEELONG VIRUS CASES
▪ Four test positive in one day ▪ Local Coles worker infected ▪ Freeway checkpoint gridlock
GREATER Geelong has recorded its largest daily increase in coronavirus cases since April, with four new cases confirmed in 24 hours.
The spike saw Greater Geelong’s tally of confirmed cases jump from 70 on Wednesday to 74 yesterday, with six of those active.
It is the largest daily increase in cases reported in the region since it was under strict stage three coronavirus restrictions.
GREATER Geelong has recorded its largest daily increase in coronavirus cases since April, with four new cases confirmed in 24 hours.
The spike saw Greater Geelong’s tally of confirmed cases jump from 70 cases on Wednesday to 74 on Thursday, with six of those active.
It is the largest daily increase in cases reported in the region since the region was under strict stage three coronavirus restrictions.
And the surge follows another two new cases that were reported for the municipality on Tuesday.
It comes as a supermarket was cleared to trade after a worker tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this week.
A Belmont Coles team member is in self-isolation this week, with the supermarket giant confirming it had undertaken a “deep clean” of the 158-162 High Street store.
“A team member at Coles’ Belmont Vic supermarket is self-isolating after testing positive for COVID-19,” a Coles statement noted.
“Coles worked with the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services to conduct contact tracing, which found the team member had not been in close contact with any other team members.
“Coles’ standard cleaning procedures comply with the federal government’s COVID-19 Hygiene Practices For Supermarkets.
“The Victorian Department of Health has confirmed the store can continue to trade and the risk of transmission for customers and team members is very low.”
Victorian Coles stores reintroduced buying limits in metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell Shire, as the areas reenter Stage 3 stay at home restrictions. The limits had not been applied to Geelong stores on Wednesday according to the business, which warned it would monitor stock levels and asked customers to only buy what they needed.
The Belmont Coles case comes after Rip Curl on Wednesday confirmed a Torquay office staffer had tested positive to the coronavirus, with the iconic surf brand undertaking a deep clean of its headquarters.
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases for the Surf Cost remained at 10 on Thursday, with one of those active.
Victoria recorded 165 new cases of coronavirus since Wednesday, the Department of Health and Human Services revealed. Thirty of the new cases were linked to outbreaks and 135 were still under investigation.
No new cases were detected in returned travellers in hotel quarantine.
In Victoria, 40 cases of coronavirus were in hospital, including nine in intensive care, on Thursday.
It’s understood Geelong hospital has not admitted new coronavirus patients this week, and local cases are isolating and recovering at home.
The total number of cases statewide on Thursday was 3098, with 932 active cases.