headline

Melbourne hotel quarantine worker tests positive to coronavirus

A hotel quarantine worker in Melbourne has tested positive to coronavirus.

The woman works as an authorised officer at the Holiday Inn at Melbourne Airport, Victoria's Department of Health and Human Services said.

She was tested at end of her shift on Thursday, February 4, and returned a negative result.

READ MORE: Returned traveller in NSW tests positive after 14-day hotel quarantine

Daniel Andrews

She returned to work on Sunday morning and later developed symptoms.

She was tested and has subsequently returned a positive result.

The individual was interviewed and a full public health response has commenced.

If you have been at any of these exposure sites in the specified times, you are required to immediately isolate, get tested and remain isolated for 14 days:

Friday, February 5

  • Marciano's Cakes: Maidstone – 9:45am – 10:25am
  • Dan Murphy's: Sunshine – 5:50pm – 6:30pm

Saturday, February 6

  • Off Ya Tree Watergardens: Taylors Lakes – 1:17pm – 1:52pm
  • Dan Murphy's: Sunshine – 6:50pm – 7:30pm

The DHHS said it would provide updates "as soon as possible" with locations visited by the woman to be listed here: https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/case-locations-and-outbreaks-covid-19

Testing capacity near exposure sites will be scaled up from today, with increased opening hours, additional staff and pop-up sites to be confirmed, DHHS said.

https://twitter.com/VicGovDH/status/1358397250410598400

For more information on where to get tested, call the 24-hour Coronavirus Hotline at 1800 675 398 or visit the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Victoria website.

It comes as an additional 230 Defence Force troops are being sent to Victoria to help with the coronavirus response.

They will more than double the number of troops working 12 quarantine hotels as the program expands up to 22 facilities.

They'll manage baggage, check-in and staff temperature checks, leaving security to Victoria Police.

Apart from the Holiday Inn worker, no new cases of COVID-19 have been detected in Victoria since Wednesday when it was revealed a worker at the Grand Hyatt's quarantine tested positive for the UK strain of the virus.