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Seven more local virus cases in Victoria, as exposure sites grow

Victoria has recorded 10,053 new COVID-19 cases and eight virus-related deaths.

Victoria has recorded 10,053 new COVID-19 cases and eight virus-related deaths. Photo: Getty

Victoria has seven more local COVID cases, as state authorities race to trace the source of a mystery infection in a testing centre worker.

The man’s case, which was confirmed on Wednesday, is included in Thursday’s official data.

Thursday’s other new cases – which come from more than 42,000 tests in the previous 24-hour period – are all linked to existing virus clusters in the state. All were in quarantine while infectious.

It is the Melbourne traffic controller – who worked at a drive-through testing site for two days while infectious – that remains of most concern to health authorities. His close contacts are self-isolating as they continue to try to trace the source of his infection.

Health Minister Martin Foley confirmed the man, who worked at the Moonee Valley Racecourse site, tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday, two days after developing symptoms.

His diagnosis came the same day that millions of Victorians emerged from their fifth COVID lockdown.

The testing site, in Melbourne’s north-west, was immediately closed after the positive test. Dozens of staff who worked the same shifts as the man were sent home to isolate as a precaution.

“We do believe there will be minimal risk to those at the site,” Mr Foley said on Wednesday.

The site was to reopen on Thursday following a deep clean.

Chief health officer Brett Sutton said the case was a concern, given the man was not a primary close contact of a previous case and had not been linked to Victoria’s current outbreaks.

  • See all of Victoria’s exposure sites here

A petrol station, two supermarkets and a shopping centre in Frankston and Frankston South were also listed as exposure sites linked to the man.

Anyone who attended during the specified time frames is required to get tested for COVID-19 and isolate until they return a negative result.

A supermarket in Altona North and a 7-Eleven in Yarraville have also been added to the state’s exposure site list, though it is unclear if they are linked to the traffic controller.

-with AAP

Topics: victoria
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