A total of 10 new coronavirus cases were detected in Victoria, bringing the state’s total at 1,663 cases.
A carer at Embracia aged care facility in Reservoir and teacher at Macleod Preschool both tested positive for COVID-19 during routine testing.
Staff and residents of the aged care facility are currently being tested for COVID-19, and Embracia is in lockdown. At the school, all 12 pupils in the teacher’s class and another eight colleagues will have to self-isolate for 14 days.
Victorian Deputy Chief Health Officer Annaliese van Diemen said the kindergarten teacher got tested upon noticing symptoms.
“We consider people to be infectious for two days prior to their symptom onset so that is why the kindergarten has been included as an exposure site,” Dr van Diemen said.
READ MORE: Mikakos announces new spike in coronavirus cases in Victoria
“They attended prior to being symptomatic, not whilst symptomatic, but whilst they were infectious.
“They did exactly what we want all Victorians to do, which is got tested as soon as they got symptoms and kept themselves at home until they got a result.”
Victoria’s Health Minister Jenny Mikakos said that the aged care home is in lockdown.
“Even one case in an aged care home is classified as an outbreak,” she said.
READ MORE: How is COVID-19 changing multiculturalism and the nature of migration to Australia?
“It’s taken very, very seriously because we know the particular vulnerability that nursing homes have.”