12 February 2021

Dear colleagues,

Today the Deputy Premier and Acting Chief Health Officer have announced that Greater Melbourne has been declared a hotspot as of 1 am tomorrow.  This is in line with the announcement that Victoria is heading into a five-day lockdown in response to a cluster of 13 cases associated with a quarantine hotel (the Holiday Inn cluster).

From 1 am Saturday 13 February, the Queensland border will be closed to the 36 identified Victorian local government areas for 14 days.  This means that anyone who has arrived in Queensland from Greater Melbourne, including Melbourne Airport, since Tuesday 9 February will be directed into government-arranged quarantine for 14 days.

Additionally, Queensland Health is advising that any person in Queensland who has travelled from Melbourne Tullamarine Airport, Terminal 4 on Tuesday 9 February must get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days (getting tested first thing tomorrow is fine).  Household contacts of these travellers must also quarantine until the traveller receives a negative test result.  Queensland Health is currently contacting these people to undertake close contact follow up.

Separately, Queensland Health is advising that any person in Queensland who has travelled from Melbourne Tullamarine Airport (any terminal) on Sunday 7 February, or Monday 8 February should get tested and isolate until receiving a negative result.  These people should continue to monitor for any symptoms and get retested if they become unwell.

Visitor restrictions remain in place for hospitals, residential aged care, and disability care facilities for people who have been to Greater Melbourne on or after Friday 29 January, unless 14 days have passed since the person was in Greater Melbourne.

As a result, we are anticipating an increase in fever clinic presentations over the next few days.  A big thank-you to our staff who lean forward and surge into the required services at these times.

These changes remind us all that COVID-19 remains an ongoing threat to us all, and has the potential to impact us, our loved ones, and fellow Australians at very short notice.

Thank you for keeping up your hand hygiene and physical distancing.

Regards,

Dr Liz Rushbrook
Metro North Incident Controller

Metro North HHS – overview of cases*

*With effect 12 February 2021, 1000
**Metro North has three recorded deaths (one person a return traveller into NSW, who passed away in NSW)
*** These numbers reflect the cases being managed by Metro North.