Expert: Behave like everyone has virus
EIGHTY-TWO active COVID-19 cases in the Geelong region, up by 21 in a week, have prompted a leading epidemiologist to plead with the public to wear masks to prevent harsher lockdowns.
On Friday, Greater Geelong recorded six new COVID-19 cases, taking the local government area’s active cases to 29.
Questions remain over a potential outbreak at a Breakwater chicken processing plant where a worker tested positive on Thursday.
Information about testing and close contacts of the infected male worker at the Golden Farms plant, who hails from a virus hot spot in Melbourne, was not provided to the Addy yesterday. The Turosi group, who runs the plant, was unwilling to answer questions put to it in the interest of public health.
Yesterday, Victorian chief health officer Brett Sutton said: “We know that healthcare, aged care, abattoirs, big distribution centres is where (COVID-19) transmission is occurring.”
A Department of Health and Human Services spokeswoman would not release details about the Breakwater chicken plant worker’s movement in days before his positive test.
“There are strict procedures in place to protect the public wherever someone tests positive to coronavirus, including close contacts being identified and notified that they need to self-isolate and seek testing.
“As part of our contact tracing, relevant public exposure sites are contacted and provided with advice about the transmission risks and any cleaning that may be required.”
Deakin University epidemiologist Catherine Bennett has warned locals to stay vigilant, saying coronavirus had the potential to linger in cold work environments such as abattoirs and food processing plants.
“Geelong isn’t in the tighter restrictions, people have to stay mindful, particularly in those (at-risk) workplaces; treating everyone else as if they were positive,” Professor Bennett said. Prof Bennett advised Turosi group to have random COVID-19 testing of its workers completed.
She said anyone going into areas with a lot of people this weekend should wear a mask.
“A mask today might help the city avoid a tighter lockdown tomorrow, given that there are these odd cases in the area.”
The outbreak at the Australian Lamb Company abattoir in Colac has swollen to 43 cases a week after emerging.
Colac MP Richard Riordan called for the army to relieve the “overwhelmed” health system, and said bureaucratic legislation was hampering the region’s contact tracing.
Across the state, 300 cases and seven deaths from the virus, all people aged over 80, were recorded. Five were linked to aged-care facilities.
More than 200 people are in hospital with coronavirus including 41 in intensive care.
The City of Wyndham, which borders Greater Geelong, has 460 active cases, 21 more than Thursday.
Yesterday, Premier Daniel Andrews said each new case would be contacted within 24 hours, and that Australian Defence Force members, aided by authorised officers, would door knock people who test positive but did not respond to phone calls from authorities.
Mr Andrews said an investigation would be launched if these people were not home when the visit was made.