'Safe to eat': Dozens of COVID-19 cases linked to Cedar Meats in Melbourne's west
"Australians told restrictions must stay even as new virus infections slow "The Covid-19 exit strategy: when will Australia know the coronavirus battle is over?" "
By Tom Cowie May 4, 2020 — 11.02am
The abattoir at the centre of a coronavirus outbreak of at least 34 confirmed cases in Melbourne's west says the meat processed at its facility is safe for customers to eat.
Nineteen new cases were linked to Cedar Meats in Brooklyn on Monday, which was already responsible for 15 infections announced over the weekend.
Cedar Meats in Brooklyn.Credit:Simon Schluter
It is one of the largest clusters of COVID-19 in Victoria, which reported a total of 1406 cases as of Monday — a single-day increase of 22.
Cedar Meats general manager Tony Kairouz confirmed the outbreak in a statement released on Monday morning.
"The welfare and safety of our staff, visitors, suppliers and customers is our highest priority," he said.
"All workers are self-quarantining and we are working closely with the Victorian health authorities.
"All meat processed at our facilities is processed in accordance with Australian standards for food safety and our customers can be confident that the meat processed at our facilities is safe to eat."
The outbreak was discovered when a worker went to Sunshine Hospital for a workplace injury and took a COVID-19 test.
The facility, which is currently closed, employs around 350 people.
A patient who underwent emergency surgery at Sunshine Hospital on April 23 had tested positive to coronavirus, the Department of Health and Human Services confirmed on Friday.
VIDEO - Victoria has recorded 13 new cases of coronavirus in the past 24 hours, including six people connected to a new cluster at a meat processing plant.
The incident sidelined two dozen staff who were potentially exposed to the virus. None of the staff have tested positive to the virus so far, the department said.
Victorian Chief Health Officer Dr Brett Sutton said the facility had gone into shutdown, though it needed minimum staffing on site to ensure animal welfare.
"Meatworks are particularly vulnerable, we've seen from the US extremely large outbreaks in meatworks," he said.
"In some ways because they are forced to work closer than some other workplaces."
Dr Sutton defended the decision not to name the business when the outbreak was first revealed on Saturday, despite revealing the location of other places where people had tested positive.
"It has always been the case that if we need people in the community to understand where they might have been exposed to a cluster or outbreak of cases that we identify those sites," he said.
"If we are following up everyone, we have the names of contacts of everyone in the site, and we're not concerned about the general community being exposed then there's no specific public health reason to name those places."
The business, which exports overseas, was started by the Kairouz family in the 1980s. Premier Daniel Andrews said the owners were not related to Marlene Kairouz, the minister for consumer affairs.
"It is my understanding that there is no connection apart from the family name," he said.
Coronavirus: New six-lane drive-through COVID-19 clinic opens at McDonald Jones Stadium, no new cases in Hunter
"Australians told restrictions must stay even as new virus infections slow"
Anita Beaumont May 8 2020 - 5:00AM
Mega: The new six-lane drive-through COVID-19 testing clinic is open at McDonald Jones Stadium from 8am today until May 17. Picture: Marina Neil
THE "mega" drive-through screening clinic designed to capture any lingering cases of COVID-19 in the community is open for business.
From today until May 17, McDonald Jones Stadium will be home to the six-lane drive-through clinic with a capacity to swab up to 900 people a day.
"Our goal is to test as many people as possible so we can accurately assess the risk of COVID-19 in the region," Hunter New England public health physician, Dr David Durrheim, said. "We don't expect to find a lot of cases - in fact we hope to find very few - but testing is the only way to make sure."
Dr Paul Craven, the medical controller for Hunter New England's response to COVID-19, said despite cases remaining stable at 276 in the district, further testing would offer reassurance to the population as restrictions eased.
"A group of leaders in the health service came together and we decided we'd like to do a mega drive-through," Dr Craven said. "Because while we have had on-site testing stations for a while at the John Hunter, Belmont, Mater and Maitland hospitals - a lot of people still don't want to come to a hospital. We have noticed some of the most popular testing models have been the drive-through models.
"We contacted the stadium, and they were very happy to work with us on that."
Dr Craven said they were expecting between 600 and 900 people a day, bearing in mind there had already been more than 30,000 tests throughout the region.
Bookings were required prior to attending, and could be made by calling 4964 7497.
"They will need to take some details and make sure someone is not so unwell that they would need hospital care," he said.
"They will then offer them an appointment and tell them exactly where to go, what time to come, and what to bring with them."
Staff would guide traffic into the stadium grounds, and direct people to one of six lanes.
"When you ring up and make your appointment you will be told which lane to drive to," he said. "We take some brief details there, and we give you an information pack about what you should do about isolating if you are unwell. If people register their details, they'll get an SMS fairly quickly with the results of their test.
"We still say it's about 72 hours, but they have been coming back a bit quicker."
All testing would be done at the John Hunter Hospital.
"We are really just trying to see how much COVID-19 there is in the community to reassure our population, and show them they have done a good job," he said. "We have had a great response.
"Now we're all waiting to see what happens in the next couple of weeks."
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has said no restrictions will be eased in time for the weekend, warning that we’re still “smack bang” in the middle of the coronavirus crisis. Subscribe: https://bit.ly/2noaGhv Get more breaking news at: https://bit.ly/2nobVgF
Coronavirus Australia live updates: 12 new cases recorded overnight
Health Minister Greg Hunt has revealed there were only 12 new coronavirus cases across the country overnight, with six states and territories recording none.
Stephanie Bedo news.com.au May 10, 2020 12:02AM
[...]
What will be allowed in NSW from Friday
Here's a recap on what's being eased in NSW from Friday:
* Outdoor gatherings of 10 people
* Five visitors to the home, including children
* Restaurants and cafes can have 10 patrons, still following the 4sqm rule
* Weddings of up to 10 people
* Funerals up to 20 people inside and 30 outside
* Religious gatherings of 10
* Playgrounds, outdoor gym equipment, pools and swimming areas will reopen
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