The infectious removalists from NSW highlight the importance of the border restrictions, Victoria's COVID Commander Jeroen Weimar says.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Mr Weimar said the removalists who travelled from NSW to Victoria and South Australia while infectious stopped at a service station and McDonald's in Ballan for two hours.
Asked about any additional stops the trio took, Mr Weimar said anything in NSW was not his concern.
"The evidence I've been given so far is that there is no other stop they've made on their way into Melbourne, or on their way on to Adelaide, we have the exposure sites we have identified at this point in time," he said.
"Those conversations will continue and we'll continue to see what else we can drive out of them, it is theoretically possible, or is it totally possible in fact, they may have stopped just shy of the border in New South Wales - that's not my concern.
"For them to have made the journey that they've made. I have to say, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and return in 48 hours or so is a fair crack."
IN OTHER NEWS:
Mr Weimar said getting information of the the removalists - two of whom have tested positive to COVID- was challenging as they were not as forthcoming as he'd like.
He said essential workers coming into Victoria must comply with the requirements of their permits and isolate outside work.
NSW Health have not revealed the route taken by the removalists.
Mr Weimar said getting information of the the removalists - two of whom have tested positive to COVID - was challenging as they were not as forthcoming as he'd like.
He said essential workers coming into Victoria must comply with the requirements of their permits and isolate outside work.
Mr Weimar said the cases highlighted the critical importance of the border closure and permit system.
Currently 9410 people are in Victoria on red zone permits.
Mr Weimar said Victorians should expect to see more people on red zone permits test positive to COVID, and more incursions from NSW.
The Health Department found two people who were meant to be isolation after returning from NSW were not found at home. The case has been turned over to police.
He said in the past 24 hours three cases of COVID had been confirmed, with 13 household primary close contacts who have all tested negative.
There are 300 primary close contacts of the cases.
Deputy Chief Health Officer Daniel O'Brien said the government "remains very concerned about the inbound risk from interstate."
"We've now had four incursions from NSW in recent weeks and our Kappa outbreaks in May and June are also linked to an interstate incursion," he said.
We have removed our paywall from our stories which contain need-to-know information about coronavirus. If you would like to support our journalists you can subscribe here.