A truck driver has been identified as the source of a new outbreak in Victoria. Photo / 123RF
A truck driver has been identified as the source of a new outbreak in Victoria. Photo / 123RF
In Australia, a Melbourne truck driver who reportedly hid visits to regional Victoria where coronavirus cases were then recorded could be fined almost $10,000.
The truck driver travelled to Shepparton on September 29 and 30, before new cases were recorded in the area.
The resulting cases have derailed the state's14-day average, vital to lifting restrictions.
The driver is also reportedly racked with guilt after potentially passing the virus to his elderly father.
The Herald-Sun reports the truck driver is the father of an apprentice at the Butcher's Club in Chadstone, a coronavirus cluster linked to 57 total and 32 current active cases in Victoria.
The driver, his partner and adult son all live together and are now quarantining at home.
He began isolating on September 30 after learning he was a close contact of a case.
On September 29 and 30 he visited the Kilmore, Benalla and Shepparton areas.
He had a permit to travel for work but reportedly broke the restrictions on that permit by visiting Kilmore's Oddfellows Cafe, where he was only permitted to get takeaway.
A Shepparton woman tested positive on Tuesday, and two of her colleagues later did too.
Premier Daniel Andrews confirmed the case had been referred to police to "make further judgments".
The truck driver could face a $9913 fine for potentially providing false or misleading information to contact tracers.
Chief health officer Brett Sutton said "we'll have to use every tool at our disposal" to verify the man's movements.
"If we have to interrogate phones for GPS information, those powers are available," Prof Sutton said.
Andrews has repeatedly said in the lead-up to October 19 that his team are currently mulling over which rules might be lifted, in the face of the Victorian capital not reaching the less than five cases a day needed to completely move into the next stage of its lockdown roadmap.
What Melburnians know for sure is that schools being reopened for all students will go ahead, with prep to Year 7 and VCE students returning this week. Students in Years 8 to 10 will return to the classroom from October 26.
Removing the 5km limit on people's movement is on the table – with the restriction being one of Melbourne's most contentious.
An increase in outdoor public gatherings of up to 10 people is likely, while up to five people from one household being allowed to visit another could also likely occur – though maybe not to the full extent.
Restaurants and cafes – which under step three will be allowed to have predominantly outdoor seated service – could also see some limited changes.
It comes as Andrews gave one of the strongest indications yet that his state's lockdown could be drawing to a close.
