Restrictions looming for Victoria after new Covid cases
Melburnians may once again be subjected to Covid restrictions after the state recorded seven additional locally acquired cases connected to the NSW outbreak.
Sources told the Herald Sun on Wednesday that new rules limiting venues and the number of visitors in homes could be introduced as soon as Thursday.
Dancing may once again be banned and venues could be limited to seated-only dining, the publication reports.
The seven new cases announced by the state's Covid-19 commander Jeroen Weimar come after Victoria reported one new case to midnight on Tuesday.
Four of the new cases are residents on the third floor of the Ariele Apartments in Maribyrnong, which has been in lockdown since Monday night after a visit from infected removalists.
The complex is home to some 200 residents.
Among those cases is a man in his 60s, who subsequently infected his parents, aged 89 and 90.
The man also attended an AFL match between Carlton and Geelong on Saturday and Highpoint Shopping Centre on Friday.
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Infected removalists didn't wear masks
Mr Weimar confirmed the three removalists, two of whom have tested positive, weren't wearing masks, in a breach of their worker permit conditions.
The trio also did a drop off at a Craigieburn home the same day and visited several petrol stations and fast-food restaurants, which have been listed as tier-one exposure sites.
It is believed they slept in their trucks on Thursday night before travelling to SA.
Another new case is a man in his 30s who attended Coles Craigieburn at the same time as a member of a family who recently returned from Sydney infected with Covid-19.
Three members of the family flew into Melbourne on July 4, while a fourth drove back on Thursday.
The family had red zone permits to return to Victoria, meaning they have been required to self-isolate at home since their arrival.
One family member, however, visited Coles Craigieburn and a Metro petrol station in Broadmeadows.
After initially testing negative when they first returned, all four have since tested positive for Covid-19.
New Covid cases threaten travel bubble
The New Zealand government has effectively served Kiwis in Victoria a go home order if they want to avoid being stranded by a trans-Tasman bubble closure.
On Wednesday evening, Covid-19 Minister Chris Hipkins said he was awaiting advice from health officials in response to seven new cases of the virus in Melbourne.
"I want to encourage anyone with concerns about the potential of a pause to Quarantine Free Travel to organise to get home as soon as possible," he said.
The trans-Tasman bubble has been plagued since it opened almost three months ago, and has been partially closed two-thirds of the time.
It is currently operational to five states, the ACT and NT - with NSW the outlier.
Kiwis who travelled to NSW last month prior to the border closure have been unable to travel home until this week.
Even now, those who were lucky enough to snare one of the limited places on a "managed flight" home must spend a fortnight in quarantine.
With AAP
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