By Cam Lucadou-Wells
A Covid-19 cluster at a Dandenong North aged care home has escalated rapidly to 40 cases, among a record number of daily infections in Greater Dandenong.
Outlook Gardens, which has 95 aged-care beds and 52 retirement village units, only recorded its first case on Friday 24 July.
Victoria’s outbreak has now spread to 769 cases linked to more than 80 aged care homes.
The Government announced on 28 July that six people died of the virus overnight, including four aged-care residents.
Many of Victoria’s 83 Covid-related deaths have been people in aged care.
Meanwhile in Greater Dandenong, a record number of 25 new coronavirus cases reported on 28 July. Active cases are now 124.
Ten new cases were recorded in Casey, with single-figure rises in Monash, Kingston, Frankston, Knox and Cardinia.
Dandenong Valley Special Developmental School and Westall Primary School are among the latest schools temporarily closed due to Covid-19 cases.
During the past week, Dandenong High School, Gleneagles Secondary College and Thomas Mitchell Primary School closed for contact tracing and deep cleaning.
A worker at a Coles supermarket in Noble Park was also self-isolating after testing positive.
The worker had not been at the store since 21 July. No other workers had close contact, Coles stated on 25 July.
“Consistent with prior practice developed with the Victorian Department of Health, the store can continue to trade and the risk of transmission for customers and team members is very low.”
On 28 July, Victoria recorded 384 new Covid-19 cases. The state has 4775 active cases.
Mandatory mask-wearing and stage 3 ‘stay-at-home’ restrictions remain in place.
