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Encouraging Covid news after mystery case scare in Melbourne

Zero new cases of coronavirus have been reported in Victoria just a day after health authorities alerted the public of a mystery case who attended Boxing Day sales and the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

Of the 32,767 people who turned out for testing, no locally acquired or hotel quarantine cases were detected, Victoria’s Health and Human Services reported on Thursday.

It comes after authorities urged thousands who visited the Chadstone Shopping Centre and the MCG to get tested after they were suspected to be acquisition sites for the mystery case, a male in his 30s.

He attended the MCG for Australia’s Test match against India on December 27 and 10 stores inside the shopping centre, but was not infectious during his visits.

A couple leave the testing centre at the MCG.
People at the MCG testing facility on Wednesday. Source: AAP

Health officials said it was possible he acquired the virus at the sites from an unwitting carrier who may have transmitted the infection to others.

There were 23,841 in attendance on the second day of the Test. The man was in Zone 5 of The Great Southern Stand, with contact tracers working to contact everyone in that area to get tested.

Anyone in the zone between 12.30pm and 3.30pm have been asked to get tested and self-isolate.

A number of close contacts have already been identified and contacted, and testing of these people has been undertaken.

“The upstream contacts are the people that we’re most concerned about,” Deputy Chief Health Officer Professor Allen Cheng told reporters on Wednesday.

NSW clusters continue grow

Five new cases, including two linked to the Berala cluster and another a household contact of a case in Avalon, were reported for NSW on Wednesday.

A person who arrived from overseas also tested positive, along with a fifth mystery case in Western Sydney, which has not yet been linked to the BWS in Berala or anyone from that cluster.

Acting NSW Premier John Barilaro is expected to deliver an update on cases later today.

More locations were earmarked on Wednesday after positive cases visited while potentially infectious including a Woolworths and BWS over several days.

NSW Health updated its alert in the evening to include Nostalgia Factor Shop in the Kangaroo Valley, with those who visited on December 27 between 11.20am and 11.30am urged to monitor for symptoms.

The same applied for anyone who visited the Taj Indian Restaurant in Huskisson on December 27 between 4.45pm and 5.20pm.

People lining up at the MCG testing centre.
Melbourne residents queued for testing on Wednesday. Source: AAP

Anyone who played cricket at the Ollie Webb Cricket Ground on December 28 between 7.30am and 11am have been told to get tested immediately and isolate for 14 days, regardless of their result.

Those at the cricket ground in the grandstand at the listed time should immediately get tested and isolate until they receive a negative result.

People who attended Saravanaa Bhavan in Parramatta on December 28 between 9.50am and 10.50am should get tested immediately and isolate until a negative result is received.

The guidelines for people who visited the Merrylands RSL have been updated to encapsulate more times, with those there on December 28 in the Ariah Room between 4pm and 4.55pm told to get tested and isolate until a negative result is received.

The same applied to anyone in the RSL’s smoking gaming area between 4.55pm and 5.15pm, and the sports lounge between 5.15pm and 6pm.

People in any section of the RSL on December 28 between 4pm and 6pm should monitor themselves for symptoms and get tested if any arise.

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