Victoria mystery case linked to NSW removalists

VICTORIA’S mystery case has been traced back to the apartment building visited by three Sydney removalists that sparked the state’s Delta coronavirus outbreak.

But it remains unclear how the testing site traffic controller became infected.

This morning (Friday, July 30), Deputy Secretary Kate Matson confirmed genomic sequencing of the case, a Moonee Valley testing site worker, showed it was connected to Maribyrnong’s Ariele apartment complex outbreak.

She says health authorities are continuing to trace the man’s work, social and household contacts, with 48 out of 58 of his testing site colleagues returning negative results thus far.

The young man also visited his partner at a Newport apartment building while infectious, with residents tested and in isolation.

It’s believed he had not been vaccinated despite being eligible as a frontline worker.

It comes as Victoria reported three new local COVID-19 cases today, including a previously reported infection.

Two of Victoria’s new local COVID-19 cases are linked to existing outbreaks at schools, Bacchus Marsh Grammar and Trinity College, while another is linked to an apartment complex in Richmond.

All were in isolation for their entire infectious period.

More than 43,500 test results were received in the 24 hours to Friday morning, while about 19,000 vaccine doses were administered at state-run sites during the same period.

There are 200 active cases in Victoria, down five from yesterday (Thursday, July 29).

Meanwhile, authorities are urging people in Balwyn, Camberwell, Canterbury, Mont Albert and Surrey Hills to get tested if they have even mild symptoms after wastewater testing in the area showed virus fragments.