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Coronavirus crisis: Victorian arrivals into WA told to get tested, isolate amid Melbourne COVID outbreaks

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Josh ZimmermanThe West Australian
VideoResidents at a locked down apartment block are awaiting COVID test results after a group of removalists from Sydney, who visited the complex, tested positive to COVID-19

WA has strengthened its border with Victoria less than a week after quarantine-free travel resumed, a response to two growing COVID-19 clusters in Melbourne both linked to the Sydney outbreak.

Effective immediately, Victoria will be upgraded from “very low risk” to “low risk”, meaning arrivals from the State will be required to immediately get tested, self-isolate for a fortnight and be swabbed again on day 11.

Virgin flight VA681 from Melbourne touched down in Perth just after 1.30pm this afternoon and another Virgin flight VA9001 carrying Geelong’s AFL squad from the city is already in the air and due to touch down at 2.45pm.

The Cats are scheduled to battle Fremantle at Optus Stadium Thursday night, with the game given the go ahead with fans.

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A third flight from Melbourne, Qantas QF783, is scheduled to arrive at 9.35pm this evening.

The decision comes five days after Victoria was downgraded from low-risk on Friday.

Acting Premier Stephen Dawson said the adjustment came in response to the “NSW outbreak spreading to Victoria”.

“Western Australia has always taken an extra cautious approach to its border controls and this has proven effective in keeping WA safe from COVID-19,” Mr Dawson said.

“The WA Chief Health Officer will continue to monitor and review border controls to determine if any further adjustments can be made in the future.”

Victoria announced seven new locally-acquired cases today and a growing list of exposure sites now includes the MCG, popular Melbourne pub Young & Jackson and a range of shopping centres.

Six of the new cases are linked to a Maribyrnong apartment building in Melbourne’s west that was visited last week by a trio of Sydney removalists, two of whom have since tested positive to the virus.

The workers, who were not wearing masks, visited Ariele Apartments to collect furniture last Thursday from a third floor unit before dropping goods off at a different Melbourne home, sleeping in their vehicle overnight and then heading to South Australia.

Acting Premier Stephen Dawson said the adjustment came in response to the “NSW outbreak spreading to Victoria”.
Camera IconActing Premier Stephen Dawson said the adjustment came in response to the “NSW outbreak spreading to Victoria”. Credit: Michael Wilson

A household of three people and a man in his 60s – all of whom live on the third floor of the 200-inhabitant Ariele Apartments – have now tested positive to COVID.

The man in his 60s also infected his parents, aged 89 and 90, who live separately in Melbourne’s north.

He also attended Saturday’s AFL clash between Carlton and Geelong at the MCG, stoking fears some of the 31,000 fans in attendance may also have contracted the virus.

The seventh case is linked to separate cluster of four family members who recently returned from NSW and have all since returned positive swabs.

All four were given permission to enter Victoria and directed to self-isolate for a fortnight – but one flouted those rules to visit Coles on Saturday, where he infected a man in his 30s who was diagnosed overnight.

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