Victoria’s run of more than 60 days without a locally-acquired coronavirus case has come to an end.
Three people in the Melbourne suburbs of Mitcham, Hallam and Mentone were on Wednesday evening confirmed to have COVID-19.
The cases – believed by Victorian authorities to be connected to COVID-19 cases in NSW – have sent more than 40 people into self-isolation.
They are the first local Victorian virus cases reported since 31 October.
Victoria’s Commander of COVID-19 response Jeroen Weimar said the active cases were a concern but that everything was being done to ensure all relevant exposure sites and close contacts were identified.
“We have three cases that are self-isolating at home and are being supported and monitored by the Department of Health and Human Services,” Mr Weimar said in a statement.
The cases are present in two women in their 40s and a woman in her 70s.
“We have been in this position before and we are deploying our full outbreak approach around these cases. Extensive contact tracing is underway and as a result there are currently more than 40 primary close contacts that are being supported to isolate immediately.”
Mr Weimar said contract tracing would continue throughout the night in the hope of confirming the source of the infections.
He said more cases were expected to emerge, with a full list of exposure sites to be found here.
It was initially believed the confirmed cases had not recently travelled to NSW, where 18 new cases of community transmission were recorded on Wednesday.
Earlier on Wednesday the Victorian government said it remained “a long way” from opening its border with NSW.
Half of the new cases belong to the Sydney northern beaches cluster, while a second cluster has emerged in the city’s west, along with cases in Wollongong, south of Sydney.
Victoria’s Police Minister Lisa Neville said decisions about the border were being made on a daily basis but based on health advice no one was ready to contemplate changes.
“We’re still a long way from that border being open,” she said.
Ms Neville wouldn’t rule out extending the red zone, with concern for cases outside the northern beaches.
“I know we were concerned about the Wollongong spread and the case there, and that occurred I think through churches, so we’ll continue to monitor this and if we need we’ll extend that red zone,” she said.
Victoria on Wednesday morning marked 61 days without a local transmission of coronavirus and just one case of a returned traveller in her 20s in hotel quarantine.
There were only eight active cases, all in hotel quarantine or self-isolation, including seven international travellers and a teenager girl at home after contracting the virus in NSW.
Ms Neville acknowledged the effect the border restrictions had on local communities, but said people were largely supportive.
“We all do want to say goodbye to this year, we all do hope that 2021 is a better year that we’ve got ahead but we don’t have a vaccine,” she said.
“It has been a very hard year and we have done an incredible thing as Victorians – lets not risk it as we celebrate the end of 2020.”
Despite Victoria’s two-month stretch without local transmission, and an overwhelming desire to see the back of 2020, celebrations for the new year will be muted on Thursday night.
Melbourne fireworks that would draw nearly half a million revellers any other year have been canned in favour of lower-key celebrations than the occasion deserves.
Lord Mayor Sally Capp said it was natural people would want to celebrate at the end of a difficult year.
But cancelling the fireworks meant a celebration of the city’s hospitality industry, inspired by European piazzas and squares, could go ahead instead.
Nearly a dozen outdoor dining precincts have been set up across the city, including Hardware Lane, Chinatown, Spring Street and Little Bourke Street.
“We decided to keep our city open, to keep supporting those businesses that really add so much to Melbourne’s character and personality, recognising that for all those business owners and their teams one of the best things we can do to bring in the new year is to show our support for them,” she said.
One thing will remain normal – additional police will be on patrol in uniform and plain clothes, with dogs and horses and on the water.
Victoria had 8,731 test results received in the previous 24 hours, nearly 2,000 more than Tuesday.
People in Australia must stay at least 1.5 metres away from others. Check your jurisdiction’s restrictions on gathering limits. If you are experiencing cold or flu symptoms, stay home and arrange a test by calling your doctor or contact the Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080. News and information is available in 63 languages at sbs.com.au/coronavirus
Please check the relevant guidelines for your state or territory: NSW, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, Northern Territory, ACT, Tasmania
