• Victoria has slashed the number of guests allowed at private gatherings and reintroduced mask requirements after a hotel quarantine worker tested positive to COVID-19.
• A list of exposure sites has been revealed, and anyone who visited during those times must undergo COVID-19 testing and remain isolated for 14 days.
• The new case is a resident support officer at a hotel used for Australian Open players and staff, and the tournament has called off Thursday’s matches.
• Visit Business Insider Australia’s homepage for more stories.

Victorians now face renewed restrictions on social gatherings and workplace attendance after the state announced its first case of coronavirus community transmission in 28 days on Wednesday.

In a press conference held around 10.30pm Wednesday night, Premier Daniel Andrews revealed a hotel quarantine worker had tested positive for COVID-19.

The 26-year-old man, who had worked as a resident support officer at Melbourne’s Grand Hyatt hotel, received a COVID-19 test at the end of their shift on January 29.

That test returned a negative result, but they developed symptoms afterwards and underwent another test on February 2. That result came back positive on Wednesday afternoon.

Renewed restrictions

Amid fears of further community transmission, Andrews announced the limit on at-home gatherings will drop from 30 to 15 as of midnight Wednesday.

That figure does not include members of the household, nor children under 12.

Fitted face masks are again mandatory for public indoor areas, with an exception for eating and drinking. It is also recommended that face masks be worn during at-home visits.

An upcoming increase of workplace occupancy to 75% has been postponed, with workplaces in the public and private sectors required to remain at 50% occupancy until further notice.

Exposure sites revealed

The Department of Health and Human Services has listed exposure sites linked to the latest case. Anyone who has visited the following sites at the times listed must immediately self-isolate, undergo COVID-19 testing, and remain in isolation for 14 days, regardless of their test results:

• Brighton: North Point Cafe, 08:10-09:30, 31/1/2021
• Brandon Park: Kmart, Brandon Park Shopping Centre, 16:35-17:10, 31/1/2021
• Clayton South: Nakama Workshop, 11:15-12:00, 1/2/2021
• Heatherton: Melbourne Golf Academy, 17:19-18:35, 1/2/2021
• Keysborough: Aces Sporting Club (Driving Range), 22:00-23:15, 30/1/2021
• Keysborough: Kmart, Parkmore Keysborough Shopping Centre, 16:00-17:00, 31/1/2021
• Melbourne: Exford Hotel, 23:00-23:35, 29/1/2021
• Moorabbin Airport: Lululemon, DFO Moorabbin, 17:00-17:45, 1/2/2021
• Noble Park: Club Noble, 14:36-15:30, 30/01/2021
• Springvale: Bunnings Springvale, 11:30-12:15, 1/2/2021
• Springvale: Coles Springvale, 17:00-18:00, 31/1/2021
• Springvale: Sharetea Springvale, 18:50-19:30, 1/2/2021
• Springvale: Woolworths Springvale, 18:30-19:30, 1/2/2021
• West Melbourne: Kebab Kingz, 23:24-00:15, 29/1/2021

Australian Open warm-up matches called off

The Grand Hyatt Hotel is one of three hotels used to quarantine players and staff connected to the Australian Open tennis tournament.

Some 600 hotel quarantine staff have been designated as close contacts and ordered to undergo COVID-19 testing and remain isolated for 14 days.

Around 520 Australian Open players and staff who were quarantined at the Grand Hyatt over the entire period have been classified as casual contacts. They have been asked to immediately isolate and seek testing.

As a result, Australian Open officials have called off all pre-tournament matches slated to take place at Melbourne Park on Thursday.

An update on Friday’s scheduled matches is expected later today.

The Australian Open is set to begin on Monday, February 8.

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