Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews.[Source: TVNZ]
It’s day two of a five-day statewide lockdown of Victoria as health authorities attempt to ring-fence an outbreak of the infectious UK strain of coronavirus.
The state recorded two new local COVID-19 cases and a third in hotel quarantine yesterday. There were 21,475 test results received.
The state’s third lockdown has plunged millions back into the hardship they thought had been left behind with the lengthy restrictions and economic sacrifices of 2020.
Florists and restaurants hoping to receive bumper trading for Valentine’s Day are gutted at the loss of income they will incur as fresh produce goes unsold.
The outbreak, linked to the Holiday Inn hotel at Melbourne Airport, grew to 14 cases today, after a single additional case was recorded.
Victoria’s Health Minister Martin Foley says the number of identified close contacts would likely grow as contact tracers make inquiries.
“Yesterday we had identified some 996 known primary close contacts related to the holiday in Melbourne airport. Today that number is 940 as we work to clear out the number of exposure sites.”
Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton addressed concerns about legal provisions for the lockdown to go until February 26.
