By Taylah Eastwell
The Yarra Ranges will join other metropolitan and regional parts of Victoria in another Covid-19 lockdown from midnight on 3 February.
Premier Daniel Andrews announced at a 10.30pm press conference on Wednesday evening that Victoria will revert to its New Year’s Eve restrictions after a quarantine worker at the Grand Hyatt Hotel tested positive to Covid-19. The worker was employed as part of the Australian Open quarantine program.
The new restrictions mean private gatherings will be capped at 15 people in a home, with masks to be worn indoors. The recent announcement of workers returning to the office has also been paused.
The restrictions are effective as of 11.59pm on Wednesday 3 February.
DHHS said the quarantine worker was tested at the end of their shift on 29 January and returned a negative result, but developed symptoms shortly afterwards. After being tested a second time on 2 February, the worker tested positive.
Mr Andrews told the late night press conference that “there is no need for people to panic”.
There are currently no exposure sites listed within the Yarra Ranges shire. Visit https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/case-locations-and-outbreaks-covid-19 for a list of sites visited by the confirmed case.
All Australian open players, officials and staff are being contacted and considered casual contacts who must immediately isolate and get tested.
