COVID sites grow as tests urged

Daniel Andrews urged Victorians to get tested. (Damjan Janevski) 247027_05

Goya Dmytryshchak

Local bus routes, supermarkets and a school have been added to the growing list of COVID-19 exposure sites as Melbourne’s sixth lockdown was extended and a curfew introduced.

Twenty four local cases were recorded on Tuesday, 21 linked to known outbreaks including three linked to Newport.

Fourteen cases were in isolation while infectious.

There are 227 active cases statewide.

The city will be in lockdown until at least 11.59pm on Thursday, September 2 and there is a 9pm-5am curfew.

Playgrounds, skate parks and outdoor exercise equipment are closed and authorised workers require permits as of 11.59pm Tuesday.

Premier Daniel Andrews urged Victorians to get tested.

“Getting vaccinated will be our way out of this in the long term,” he said.

“Getting tested as soon as you register symptoms is our way of getting out of this in the short term.”

Western Autistic School at Laverton was closed after a COVID-19 case was linked to the bus service it uses.

A letter to parents and carers last Thursday stated all close contacts from the school who were on the bus with the infectious person had been tested and were in quarantine for 14 days.

“The school is advised to remain closed on Friday, 13 August 2021 until all those who have been tested return negative results and we are sure there is no transmission within the school community,” it states.

Bus 412 from West Footscray Station/Sunshine Road (West Footscray) to Berkeley Crescent/Millers Road (Altona North) and Bus 411 Douglas Street/Millers Road (Altona North) to West Footscray Station/Princes Highway Service Road (West Footscray) were added to the exposure list last week.

Also added were Woolworths at Borrack Square in Altona North, Coles Footscray on the corner of Albert and Paisley streets, Chemist Warehouse Footscray at 190 Barkly Street, Stella Pizza Altona, The Future Shop in Altona North, Rebel Sport at Highpoint Shopping Centre, TyrePlus Newport and Gelateria Williamstown.

Testing sites: www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/where-get-tested-covid-19