Highly infectious Melbourne strain
'could become uncontrollable'
By Tom Livingstone • Producer
12:24pm May 27, 2021
https://www.9news.com.au/national/melbourne-coronavirus-update-over-10000-contac...Health authorities are pleading for Victorians to adhere to the state's circuit-breaker lockdown, with more than 10,000 close contacts already linked to the current outbreak.
Acting Premier James Merlino said there are now 34 active cases of coronavirus in Victoria, 26 of which are directly linked to the hotel quarantine leak in South Australia.
One of those cases is currently in intensive care.
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Mr Merlino said the strain spreading throughout Melbourne is highly infectious and the rate it is spreading has never been seen before.
"In the last day, we've seen more evidence we're dealing with a highly infectious strain of the virus, a variant of concern, which is running faster than we have ever recorded," Mr Merlino said.
"We have identified in excess of 10,000 primary and secondary contacts who will need to either quarantine, or test and isolate, and that number will continue to grow and change.
"Our public health experts' primary concern is how fast this variant is moving.
"We've seen overseas how difficult that movement can be to control.
"Here in Victoria, we're seeing not only how quick it is, but how contagious it is as well."