The Victorian Department of Health is responding to the discovery of two likely cases of Covid-19 testing positive to the Omicron variant recently detected in the community.
Cases have been identified in the cities of Casey and Brimbank.
Household contacts of these cases have also tested positive and genome sequencing is underway to confirm whether these represent the Omicron variant.
None of these cases are linked to international travel and their source of acquisition is under investigation.
The department has interviewed the cases and is taking a conservative approach to the designation of their contacts, including in non-household settings.
A number of contacts have been identified and instructed to quarantine for 14 days.
Other people of lower risk have been instructed to get a test and isolate until they receive a negative result.
Further contact tracing work is ongoing and is likely to produce more contacts.
Most people who come into contact with a confirmed case outside their home won’t have to self-quarantine, but the Department of Health will continue to manage emerging outbreaks of concern and can impose a quarantine period on contacts on a case-by-case basis.
If you are contacted by the Department with special advice, or you receive an SMS advice to get tested or quarantine after visiting a high-risk venue, you are required to follow this advice.
All Victorians can play their part in reducing the spread of Omicron or any other variant by getting tested the moment they notice symptoms or as soon as they are told they are a contact, and practising Covid-safe behaviours such as wearing masks and checking in.
