SYDNEY, April 23 (Xinhua) -- Health department in the Australian state of Victoria is conducting an investigation on a locally-acquired case who is believed to link to a case in a quarantine hotel in another state.
Victorian Health Minister Martin Foley confirmed on Friday that the man had a positive test result when he returned to the state after completing 14 days' quarantine at a hotel in Western Australia's (WA) capital of Perth. The case also ended Victoria's eight weeks of zero local transmission.
The Mercury hotel, where the man lived, was involved in an investigation being conducted by WA health department. Two returned overseas travelers were believed to contract the variant strain detected in Britain during their stay in the hotel.
Foley said the Victorian man was picked up from the Melbourne airport by his spouse and went straight home and it was believed that he only contacted his family members in Melbourne.
"This is an important and timely reminder to all of us that this global pandemic is not over," Foley said.
At the same time, the neighboring state of New South Wales (NSW) was on alert as 15 wharf workers exposed to the COVID-19 risks after boarding on a tanker which traveled from Port Moresby of Papua New Guinea and docked at Port Botany in Sydney for 24 hours en route to Vanuatu.
Twelve out of 13 crew members of the tanker, including a deceased one were tested positive.
NSW health department conducted tests on all wharf workers despite they wearing protective gear while boarding. 11 out of 15 were tested negative and the remaining four were still waiting for results.
"Further investigations are also ongoing as to whether an additional three workers also boarded the ship," the health department said. Enditem
