Editorial: New virus variants concern both sides of the Tasman
12 Feb, 2021 04:00 PM
4 minutes to read
South Africa suspended plans to inoculate its front-line healthcare workers with a vaccine after study results. Photo / AP
South Africa suspended plans to inoculate its front-line healthcare workers with a vaccine after study results. Photo / AP
NZ Herald
EDITORIAL
Suspicious similarities between new coronavirus cases in Australia and New Zealand are unwelcome news as we wait for vaccines. In New South Wales, a returned traveller tested positive for Covid-19 two days after leaving quarantine, following two previous negative tests.
In Victoria, a woman tested positive two days after completing her 14-day quarantine and with previous negative results.
1 / of 5
What we know about the recent Victorian hotel quarantine cases and what s being done to tackle the issues
By Hilary Whiteman
MonMonday 8
Victoria is tightening up its hotel quarantine procedures.
(
Print text only
Cancel
Two new positive coronavirus cases among Victoria s quarantine hotel workers in five days have forced the state s health authorities to move quickly to impose new rules.
A worker at the Holiday Inn at Melbourne Airport tested positive on Sunday, after visiting several locations while potentially infectious on her days off.
Community-wide coronavirus precautions had already been tightened after a residential support officer at an Australian Open quarantine hotel tested positive to the more-contagious UK strain of the virus on Wednesday.
Victorian Emergency Services Minister Lisa Neville announced three more cases linked to the Australian Open bringing the total number of positive cases related to the event to seven.
Of the three, two are a tennis player and their support person, and the third is another player.
Victoria reported zero local Covid cases Saturday and three in hotel quarantine
The state will also begin to let in Greater Brisbane residents following low cases
Dan Andrews said border will also reopen for parts of Sydney in next few days
Western Australia will also open its border to Victorians from 12:01 on Monday
In the 24 hours to Saturday 14,957 tests were conducted in the southern state
The Emergency Services Minister says the Chief Health Officer has signed off on the arrangements for 1200 tennis players and staff travelling to Melbourne for the Australian Open.