Covid cases spike in Victoria, concern over infected teacher

Victoria has reported several new Covid-19 cases after a short-lived 'donut day' on Wednesday.

On Thursday morning, Victoria's Department of Health announced six new locally-acquired cases were identified in the community, including one which was reported late Wednesday.

In the last 24 hour reporting period, 27,279 tests were conducted across the state.

New cases under investigation

Of the new cases is a Melbourne teacher who tested positive on Wednesday and may have been infectious in the community for a week.

The health department said investigations were continuing into three cases, including the teacher's previously reported infection.

"The remaining three cases are all linked to the current outbreaks and were in quarantine during their infectious period," the department said on Twitter.

Victoria initially reported zero locally-acquired Covid cases on Wednesday, then the teacher's case was confirmed in the afternoon.

The teacher works at Al-Taqwa College in Truganina, the school has been temporarily closed with more than 2000 students and 300 staff ordered to get tested and self-isolate.

In a statement on Wednesday night, the school said it would be locked down for 14 days and classes conducted online until August 18, unless the health department advised otherwise.

The teacher, who is aged in her 20s, lives in the Hobsons Bay area with her husband and she is currently in isolation and being interviewed by contact tracers.

As a precaution, Ilim College and Australian International Academy campuses as well as the Islamic College of Melbourne (ICOM) at Tarneit were shut on Thursday.

Thursday marks the one-year anniversary of Victoria recording 725 cases, the highest daily number of infections in its deadly second wave of the virus.

The fifth lockdown Victorians endured ended at the end July.

With AAP

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