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- Another eight new cases of COVID-19 have been linked to a pub in Sydney’s south-west, bringing the total number of those infected after attending the venue to 13
- NSW recorded 14 new cases of the coronavirus in the last 24 hours, while Victoria recorded 177 new cases over the same period
- One school in Victoria has been linked to 144 cases of COVID-19 alone, as the state continues to grapple with hotspots
- Victoria’s Chief Health Officer said authorities are discovering four or five new COVID-19 clusters daily
- Brett Sutton also warned the state was not yet at its peak, meaning hundreds more are likely to contract the virus
- Victorians are being asked to get tested if they have any COVID-19 symptoms, with more than 1.1 million tests already undertaken
Hundreds of pub-goers are being urged to get tested, as the number of COVID-19 infections from a pub in Sydney’s south-west continues to grow.
Another eight cases of the coronavirus have been recorded amongst patrons at the Crossroads Hotel in Casula, bringing the total number of infected to 13.
Among those are two politicians, NSW Labor MP Anoulack Chanthivong, and Federal Labor MP Anne Stanley, as well as several members of the Australian Defence Force.
Authorities said anyone who visited the pub between July 3 and July 10 should isolate and get tested, with the pub now closed and a testing site set-up in its parking lot.
Coronavirus cases explode
14 new cases of COVID-19 were recorded in NSW today. Victoria recorded 177 new cases of the virus in the last 24 hours, as the state continues to struggle with a huge surge in the virus, bigger than the initial March outbreak.
Melbourne residents have been placed back in stage-three lockdown conditions as a result, with the stay-at-home orders to last six weeks. Victoria has also closed its border to NSW, while most state and territories across Australia have banned Victorians from entering their regions.
Victoria is also struggling with an abundance of clusters, including a significant outbreak linked to the Al-Tarqwa College, an Islamic primary and secondary school in Truganina. 144 cases have been linked to the school so far.
Victoria’s Chief Health Officer said an average of four or five new clusters were being found in the state each day, while Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said many clusters were located within aged-care centres.
Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton also said Victoria is unlikely to have reached its peak just yet, meaning more people are likely to contract the coronavirus.
“It’s great (today’s figures) are lower than our peak,” he said. “But it may not be our peak yet,” he said.
“I would like to see a week of decreasing numbers before I come and say I have greater confidence about the direction we’re going in,” Brett added.
Currently, there are 1612 active cases of COVID-19 in Victoria.
Stage four lockdowns?
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews hasn’t ruled out increasing newly re-introduced lockdown measures if the surge in cases isn’t brought under control.
“That’s in the hands of hard-working Victorians. People in every family right across metropolitan Melbourne and Mitchell shire, and indeed regional communities. If you don’t want a stage four, if you don’t want the lockdown to last a moment longer, then please follow the rules,” he said.
Premier Andrews also urged any resident who suspected they may have the coronavirus to get tested, with more than 1.1 million tests already conducted.
“If you have symptoms, even mild symptoms, come forward, get tested,” he said.
