By Brendan Rees
A Cranbourne aged-care home has been placed in lockdown after an elderly resident tested positive to coronavirus.
Lifeview Willow Wood went into lockdown on Saturday 20 June with all close contacts being ordered into home quarantine and all residents and staff at the facility to undergo testing after a single resident was diagnosed with the virus.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday 21 June, Health Minister Jenny Mikakos said a rapid response outbreak squad, which is staffed by public health specialists and clinicians, had visited the Duff Street facility to ensure appropriate testing, contact tracing and deep cleaning was carried out.
“It’s undertaken widespread testing – that’s in the process of being underway at the moment,” Ms Mikakos said.
“Always with nursing homes they go into lockdown which means that visitors aren’t allowed whilst the facility is on lockdown.
“It’s very important that people take these issues seriously.”
The Department of Health and Human Services said it was working closely with Lifeview Willow Wood “to ensure appropriate public health actions have been taken, including isolation, quarantine and cleaning”.
Lifeview was contacted but declined to comment on the matter.
The positive test comes amid an alarming surge of new infections across the state – with a total of 44 cases recorded over the weekend.
“Our case numbers have hit the highest they’ve been in more than two months,” Premier Daniel Andrews said. “I know that’s not what people want to hear – but sadly, that is our reality.”
According to the latest health data, nine active cases of the virus have been recorded in Casey City in the 24 hours to Monday 22 June – while five active cases have been confirmed in Cardinia and three in Greater Dandenong.
There are now 222 cases believed to be related to community transmission, an increase of 12 from Saturday’s figures.
The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee, the Federal Government’s chief advisory body, said in a statement it had been briefed about the outbreak in Victoria and noted its “immediate concern” of six local government areas identified as coronavirus hotspots including Casey, Cardinia, Brimbank, Moreland, Hume and Darebin.
“The AHPPC strongly discourages travel to and from those areas until control of community transmission has been confirmed,” it said.
Ms Mikakos said the State Government would be “looking at” whether to open up further testing sites at the identified hotspots: “We want to encourage the community to keep getting tested … particularly across those hotspot locations,” she said.
In Victoria, restaurants, pubs, auction halls, community halls, libraries, museums and places of worship – will all stay at a maximum of 20 people in any one space until 12 July. Gyms, cinemas, concert venues and TABs will also reopen but be limited to 20 people from Monday 22 June.
Mr Andrews said community sport for kids and non-contact competition for adults will proceed.
“Ski season and accommodation facilities with communal spaces will also open, but with increased screening and safeguards in place,” he said.
Meanwhile, Police Minister Lisa Neville announced police would ramp up patrols and impose enforcement of restrictions – similar to the Easter model – “particularly firstly” of the coronavirus hotspots.
“We all have a role to play and police will take this seriously and will find people if they are breaching those orders,” she said.
