A Victorian aged care is in lockdown after a worker tested positive, while a kindergarten teacher is also among 10 latest coronavirus cases.
The carer at Embracia Aged Care in Reservoir and the Macleod Preschool teacher were confirmed on June 2 to have the virus.
The workers were picked up as infectious after going for routine testing, Health Minister Jenny Mikakos said.
The kindergarten is shut for cleaning, while the aged care worker is self-isolating at home and all staff and visitors considered to be close contacts will be put into quarantine.
Staff and residents at the aged centre centre will be tested, the minister said.
“So even one case in an aged care home is classified as an outbreak – it’s taken very, very seriously because we know particular vulnerability that residents in nursing homes have, and this is why this home is now in lockdown,” Mikakos said.
Of the new cases, four have been tied to the outbreak at Rydges on Swanston, taking that cluster to 12.
The hotel had been housing quarantined returned travellers, but all guests have been moved to alternative accommodation.
Hotel and department staff have been put into quarantine, Deputy Chief Health Officer Annaliese van Diemen said of the outbreak.
The other four new cases, found in routine testing, are under investigation.
Victoria has done more than 521,000 tests and the state’s total recorded cases stand at 1664.
The death toll remains at 19 while 1563 people have recovered and 79 cases are active in Victoria. There are nine people in hospital.
Almost 170 people may have acquired the virus in community transmission.
The state government also confirmed it was introducing legislation in parliament on Tuesday to fulfil the second stage of an election commitment to strengthen nurse-to-midwife patient ratios.
Under the promise, an extra 500 nurse and midwife positions would be opened up, bringing the total extra staff to 1100.
The state government will also spend $100,000 towards an exhibition to honour the nursing profession.
van Diemen said a Keilor Downs secondary school is due to reopen on Tuesday after previously having a positive case.
A St Albans South primary school impacted in the coronavirus cluster is also due to open on Wednesday, she said.
Christine McGinn
