Tara Murray
Victoria has recorded zero new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours for the first time since early June.
A day after Premier Daniel Andrews delayed making any announcements on easing of restrictions due to waiting for a number of test results from the northern metropolitan outbreak, the state recorded no new cases or deaths.
Nearly 15,000 tests have been conducted in the northern metropolitan suburbs since October 20 with residents from Hume among those tested.
Victoria’s Commander of Testing and Community Engagement, Jeroen Weimar, said they would continue to focus on testing in five northern metropolitan communities – Darebin, Banyule, Hume, Moreland and Nillumbik.
“We have results for the 2100 people who got tested yesterday and there are hundreds more samples going through the labs over the course of the day. Their commitment is a massive contribution to identifying what we hope are the very few remaining cases of COVID19 in Melbourne,” he said.
“Testing continued into the evening last night and we expect to see those results come through today.”
In addition to the testing, Mr Weimar said more than 380 people had been contacted over the weekend through an extensive community health program underway to advise residents located in Banyule, Darebin, Hume, Moreland and Nillumbik about the potential exposures, provide information about testing sites and how to access supports such as financial assistance.
Anyone with symptoms or who is an identified close contact should get tested.
There are currently 39 cases linked to the northern metropolitan outbreak, including cases associated with East Preston Islamic College and Croxton Special School.
Among those cases are some from a social housing block in Broadmeadows.
Dallas Brooks Primary School in Dallas was precautionarily closed last week for deep clearing and contact tracing after a close contact was identified at the school.
As of Sunday, there were 17 active cases in Hume.
In the 3064 postcode there are 12 active cases. There have been no new cases in that postcode since October 22.
In the 3047 postcode, there are four active cases. After two new cases in that area on Saturday, the overall number of cases decreased by two on Sunday.
Several Hume locations are listed on the Department of Health and Human Services website as high-risk areas.
They are Freshplus in Roxburgh Park between 4.30 and 5pm on October 13 and the Craigieburn train line on October 21 and 22, between 6 and 6.45am and 1.15 and 2pm on both days.
There are two active cases in Whittlesea. One is in Epping and the other in Lalor.
Information regarding COVID-19 and testing sites is available at the Department of Health and Human Services website or by calling 1800 675 398.
