More than 130 Victorians who have tested positive for COVID-19 were not at home in recent days, Premier Daniel Andrews has revealed.
Speaking in Melbourne this morning, Andrews said teams of healthcare workers and Australian Defence Force members are conducting door-to-door visits with all positive cases of the virus.
Andrews said more than a quarter of the 500 people door-knocked in recent days weren’t present, despite the state’s instruction that anyone with coronavirus stay in self-isolation.
Of that number, roughly 100 cases have been referred to Victoria Police.
“They perhaps thought that they wouldn’t be in the frame, that they would be able to ignore their positive case, the fact that they have this virus,” Andrews said.
“I think they were foolish to do that.”
The news came just after the announcement that Victoria has recorded a further 627 new coronavirus cases, the state’s second-highest day on record.
Andrews has circled workplace transmission as a key driver of the state’s resurgent outbreak, and previously expressed concerns that some employees felt compelled to work despite guidelines around the virus.
Last week, the Victorian Government introduced a $300 payment to aid workers forced to self-isolate while awaiting COVID-19 test results, on top of a $1500 hardship payment to support those in isolation after testing positive.
In addition to checking to see if Victorians with the virus are observing self-isolation requirements, Andrews said the public health teams are also delivering groceries and helping folks to fill their medical prescriptions.
Authorities can also hand out on-the-spot fines for breaching those self-isolation orders.
“For heavens sake, if you have got it, you have to stay at home,” Andrews said.
“You can’t pretend that you don’t have it.”
