By Brendan Rees
The number of coronavirus cases have steadied in Casey City with no new cases confirmed, according the state’s latest health statistics.
As of 15 May figures, cases remain at 56 in Casey, 15 in Dandenong and 16 in Cardinia council areas.
However, Casey City only has zero active case – a new figure recently introduced by the Department of Health and Human Services which defines someone who has tested positive, is currently in isolation and being monitored by the Department and who has not yet recovered. Dandenong and Cardinia also have zero cases.
Across Victoria, there were 20 new cases confirmed in the 24 hours to 15 May, bringing the state’s tally to 1543.
The latest cases include two related to McDonald’s Fawkner, taking the total number of cases to the outbreak to ten.
More than 90 employees have been tested as a precaution. Following the department’s advice, McDonald’s closed the restaurant and undertook a deep clean. All close contacts of confirmed cases have been contacted by the department and will remain in quarantine for 14 days.
The death toll remains at 18 while seven patients are in ICU.
More than 309,000 tests have been processed to date.
One of the new cases has been linked to the outbreak at a Melbourne meat processing facility, bringing the total to 91.
The department is working closely with the company, which agreed to close their facility for 14 days as a precaution to ensure all required steps are taken – including thorough contact tracing, identifying all close contacts, widespread testing and precautionary cleaning.
Meanwhile, Victoria Police officers reported fining eight people relating to a protest that took place at a business on Bell Street, Preston on Tuesday 12 May.
Police also conducted 680 spot checks across the state as part of Operation Sentinel.
