The Victorian Government has announced new coronavirus restrictions from 5:00pm tonight, which will limit private home gatherings to 15 visitors and make mask use indoors mandatory.
Acting Premier Jacinta Allan said that meant people who had planned New Year’s Eve gatherings for tonight based on the existing limit of 30 guests would need to reduce their numbers.
Under the existing rules, dependents are counted among the 15 household visitors unless they are less than one year old.
“We certainly do apologise to people who have put plans in place, who were looking forward to having events … but this is a necessary step, it’s on the advice that we’ve received overnight,” she said.
Ms Allan said the only people who should be travelling into Melbourne’s CBD for New Year’s Eve were those who had already made reservations at a hospitality venue.
The announcement comes after health authorities recorded three new coronavirus cases in Melbourne yesterday, bringing to an end the state’s 61-day streak of zero locally acquired cases.
Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) COVID-19 response commander Jeroen Weimar said those three cases had done the right thing by coming forward and being tested as soon they experienced symptoms, allowing authorities to discover the cluster.
“We’ve currently contacted 52 close contacts of those three individuals,” he said.
“Those close contacts are across a wide area of Melbourne… and also include people in Leongatha and in Barwon Heads.”
Mr Weimar said three of those close contacts had since tested positive, bringing the total number of recorded community cases to six.
Cases linked to restaurant in Melbourne’s south-east
Ms Allan said yesterday’s cases all had either a direct or indirect link to the Smile Buffalo Thai restaurant at Black Rock on December 21.
“One that night, one case and two close contacts of cases attended this restaurant, as did a returned traveller from New South Wales,” she said.
Ms Allan said the NSW traveller was being tested as a matter of urgency.
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The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is regularly updating a list of public exposure sites on its website, which so far includes:
- Smile Buffalo Thai restaurant at Black Rock on December 21
- Century City Walk and Mocha Jo’s in Glen Waverley between 1:30pm and 5:00pm on December 28
- Katialo restaurant in the Eaton Mall at Oakleigh between 7:00pm and 8:15pm on December 28
- Mentone/Parkdale Beach at Mentone between 10:00am and 4:30pm on December 27
- Holy Family Parish Doveton between 4:00pm and 6:00pm on December 26
- Kmart, Big W, Target, Millers, King of Gifts and Lo Costa stores at Fountain Gate Shopping Centre on December 26 between 9:00am and 11:00am
- National Golf Club, The Cups Drive at Cape Schanck, on December 30 between 11:40am and 1:30pm
DHHS has said anyone who visited any of the locations during the times indicated must get tested and isolate until they receive a negative result.
Victorians urged to leave all parts of NSW immediately
Health Minister Martin Foley said Victorians faced a “very serious situation” and it was clear the NSW outbreak had spread “well beyond the northern beaches”.
Those from the Blue Mountains and Wollongong areas will be barred from entering Victoria from midnight on January 1.
People travelling from those areas before then must apply for a new permit, be tested within 24 hours of arriving in Victoria and self-quarantine at home for 14 days from when they left the respective New South Wales regions.
Victoria’s border is already closed to the Northern Beaches, Greater Sydney and NSW Central Coast regions.
Mr Foley did not rule out further border restrictions and urged Victorians to consider whether they really needed to travel to New South Wales.
“Do not go to New South Wales. If you are in Victoria and if you are a Victorian in New South Wales, well beyond Wollongong and the Blue Mountains, come back,” he said.
“You do not want to be caught on the wrong side of a rapidly evolving situation.”
Opposition Leader Michael O’Brien offered his support for the new restrictions.
“It’s going to be disruptive, but what would be more disruptive would be a third wave, and we must avoid that,” he said.
“So, as tough as it is going to be for Victorians to change plans at the last minute, I’d urge Victorians to abide by these new rules.”
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