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A toddler at a childcare centre in Melbourne’s north is among 16 new cases of coronavirus in Victoria today.
The child tested positive after attending the Great Beginnings nursery in Reservoir, Victorian Health Minister Jenny Mikakos told reporters this morning.
“A toddler has tested positive … and contact tracing and testing is underway, as is appropriate there,” she said.
Reservoir is 11km from Melbourne’s CBD and is within the Darebin local government area — one of six LGA’s worst hit by a recent surge in COVID-19 infections.
Great Beginnings has centres around the country. Its website reads: “In this time of uncertainty and change, the health and safety of Great Beginnings families and team members remains our highest priority.
“We understand that information, kindness and support are currently essential in keeping all children, families and teams feeling reassured.”
The Northland shopping centre at neighbouring Preston also recorded two new cases of coronavirus taking an outbreak at the H&M store to four.
One of the new cases was a staff member who tested positive on Friday.
Another staff member did not work at the store while they were infectious and a third staff member attended the Black Lives Matter protest in Melbourne on June 6 but “is thought not to have acquired the virus at the protest”, Ms Mikakos said.
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The state’s COVID-19 case numbers are now the highest they’ve been in more than two months after six days of double-digit growth.
“Of the 16 new cases, six are linked to known outbreaks, four are detected in hotel quarantine, five have been detected through routine testing, and one is under investigation.,” Ms Mikakos said.
“We currently have nine patients in hospital, including two in intensive care.”
The Stamford Plaza hotel outbreak has increased to 14 with two contractors also testing positive.
Two cases have been linked to Albanvale Primary School in Caroline Springs, taking that outbreak to three, with two teachers infected.
The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee on Sunday urged residents who live in six coronavirus hot spots not to leave their suburbs. The panel of chief health officers strongly discouraged travelling to and from Brimbank, Cardinia, Casey, Darebin, Hume and Moreland until community transmission is curbed.
It said Victoria had accounted for 83 per cent of new coronavirus cases recorded in Australia in the past week.
— with AAP
