Tate Papworth
The number of cases linked to a family outbreak of coronavirus in Keilor Downs increased to 13 on Sunday night and schools across the municipality remained on high alert.
Keilor Downs Secondary College was forced to close for cleaning late last week after a student tested positive for COVID-19 just days after schools re-opened.
A student from St Albans Secondary College also tested positive for the virus after taking part in a class with the infected student.
Eighty students who attend Keilor Downs Secondary College and St Albans Secondary College are now self-isolating.
Meanwhile a grade two student at Holy Eucharist Primary School in St Albans South also tested positive.
About 30 of the students classmates will isolate for “about 30 days” according to Victoria’s chief health officer Brett Sutton.
The cases are linked to an outbreak within a family, which has increased to 13.
As of Sunday night the number of active cases withing the municipality was nine and the overall total stood at 72.
A testing clinic set up at the Keilor Library was well utilised over the weekend.
Professor Sutton urged anyone with symptoms to get tested.
“Today’s increase in cases illustrates once again we have to continue to track, trace and act on infections in this pandemic,” professor Sutton said.
“While encouraging, we need to remain vigilant. It is increasingly important that we stay at home when unwell and get tested, wash our hands regularly, sneeze and cough into our elbow and maintain physical distancing.
“These are common sense actions to ensure we don’t create a second wave of this serious disease, as we have seen in other countries once they have eased their stringent regulations.”
