Health
Islamic school becomes Victoria’s second biggest coronavirus cluster with more than 100 cases – Armenian Reporter
A Melbourne Islamic school has become Victoria’s second-biggest coronavirus cluster.
The outbreak at Al-Taqwa College in the city’s western outskirts continues to go up and has grown to 102 staff, students and close contacts.
The growing figure includes another seven COVID-19 cases confirmed on Wednesday.
It’s now just nine short of infections recorded at the Cedar Meats abattoir, which remains the state’s biggest cluster.
The seven new cases at the school were among 134 across Victoria recorded on Wednesday.
Al-Taqwa College in Truganina (pictured) recorded its 102nd case of COVID-19 on Wednesday
Of the two,942 cases recorded in Victoria since January 25, 860 remain active.
Melbourne returns to stage three lockdown measures for six weeks from midnight Wednesday, where residents can only just leave their homes for essential purposes.
Year 11 and 12 pupils and special schools are set to go back to class next week.
But school holidays will soon be extended with a week for students as much as year 10, with remote learning possible after that.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said the brand new lockdown was essential to avoid ‘thousands and thousands’ of cases and ‘many, many individuals in hospital.’
‘This is a pandemic and it will kill thousands of people if it gets completely away from us,’ that he said.
All 300 staff and 2,000 students at Al-Taqwa College, Victoria’ biggest Islamic school were ordered to quarantine earlier this week.
A teacher at the school was diagnosed with COVID-19 on June 29.
Victoria recorded 134 new cases on Wednesday. Pictured are Fire Services Victoria members in hazmat suits preparing to enter a virus-stricken public housing tower in Melbourne
Medical staff conduct tests at the Keilor community hub mobile testing site on Monday
Victorian Chief Health Officer Professor Brett Sutton said it absolutely was possible some infections may have occurred before authorities knew of the initial case, which spread through older children at the school.
‘They are apt to have more transmission thats similar to adults, if theyre perhaps not doing physical distancing accordingly, so thats been a large cluster when it comes to schools,’ he told reporters on Tuesday.
Al-Taqwa College principal Omar Hallak posted an update on Facebook on Sunday.
‘All staff and students have already been asked to have tested straight away and have been placed in quarantine while DHHS continues their tracing and the College undergoes a deep clean,’ the post reads.
Police question motorists crossing the NSW border from Victoria on Wednesday, hours following the state closed its borders as Victoria battles to regulate a second coronavirus outbreak
‘We are working closely with DHHS to support their efforts to trace the foundation of herpes and to trace all the contacts of the affected people.
‘We know this news will add to anxiety in the community. We pray our state overcomes this pandemic and we wish every affected person a speedy recovery.
Mr Hallak ensured the school had taken ever precaution to protect staff and students with security precautions implemented on site.
‘Temperature checks on a daily basis were conducted for many staff, students and anybody needing to look at the school. Any staff or student that presented with even the mildest cold and flu symptoms were sent back home as a safety precaution,’ the post continues.
