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'Not forthcoming': Concern over new cases in Victoria

Victorian health authorities have expressed concern they might not have a full picture of the movements of a group of removalists who tested positive for Covid after travelling through the state.

They've turned to CCTV footage and other means following “complex and challenging” attempts to get information from the trio, the state's Covid testing chief revealed on Tuesday.

Three removalists, two of whom have tested positive, travelled from Sydney through Victoria to Adelaide last week.

The workers made a drop-off at a family home in Craigieburn and a pick-up at a Maribyrnong apartment complex on Thursday. Both families are isolating and have tested negative so far.

The removalists then visited the McDonald's and Mobil on the Western Freeway at Ballan, with one taking a shower at the petrol station. Both sites have been listed as tier-one exposure sites from 5pm to 7pm on Thursday.

It is believed the men slept in their truck before driving to Adelaide on Friday morning.

Victoria's Covid-19 Commander Jeroen Weimar said the men were "not being as forthcoming" as he would like regarding their movements during the trip.

Victorian Commander of Testing Jeroen Weimar said authorities were still trying to
Victorian Commander of Testing Jeroen Weimar said authorities were still trying to "drive out" information from the men who tested positive. Source: Getty

In response to questioning from reporters about their compliance with health investigators, he said he needed the men to be "as transparent and as honest with us as possible".

"I can understand there's a number of scenarios that might be going through their heads," he said, adding there are strict rules attached to the worker permits they were using to travel.

"The only thing we care about is the information, so we can act upon it and put the public health response in place. Everything else is secondary."

He said at this point, authorities are not aware of any additional exposure sites not already published for the public.

"Those conversations will continue, we will continue to see what else we can drive out of them," Mr Weimar said.

Victoria recorded one new coronavirus case on Tuesday while residents of a Melbourne apartment complex have been plunged into lockdown.

The new case is a member of a family of four, who live in the local government area of Hume and recently returned from NSW on red zone permits.

Two of the family members were announced as positive coronavirus cases on Monday but were included in Tuesday's daily Covid-19 figures.

Meanwhile some 9410 people are self-isolating in Victoria after returning from so-called red zones.

Two out of 269 people with red zones permits checked on Tuesday were "intentionally not isolating", Deputy Chief Health Officer Daniel O'Brien said.

with AAP

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