By Mitchell Clarke
Pakenham has been identified as one of 10 suburbs with a “community transmission challenge”, as Premier Daniel Andrews plans to test 100,000 people from high risk areas amid a “public health bushfire”.
Mobile testing sites could be set up at the end of some streets and doorknockers will descend on Pakenham properties, as the State Government desperately try to find how many cases of virus are in the suburb.
Pakenham residents – with or without symptoms – will be eligible to receive the free testing.
“We’re asking locals in these areas – particularly if you have symptoms – please come forward and get tested,” Mr Andrews said.
“See it as your civic duty. See it as your contribution to keeping your local area and our whole community safe.”
The Premier said this suburban testing blitz was all about finding people who have the deadly coronavirus.
“Rather than waiting for an unsustainable number of community transmissions to become known, we are going to go out and literally door to door … we are bringing the public health and coronavirus response to your doorstep.
“People are going to be knocking on your door and asking you to get tested … please say yes.”
The 10 suburbs flagged as high risk areas are Pakenham, Hallam, Keilor Downs, Maidstone, Albanvale, Sunshine West, Broadmeadows, Brunswick West, Fawkner and Reservoir.
But Health Minister Jenny Mikakos said it was important that residents living outside of these postcodes understood they were not immune to the virus.
“Whilst we have identified 10 hotspot suburbs … since this pandemic started we have seen people diagnosed from Portsea and Toorak to Broadmeadows,” she said.
“It’s important that the whole community, our whole state, continues to take this pandemic seriously.”
Eastern Victoria MP Harriet Shing told the Gazette that a Pakenham testing facility will be established in the coming days.
It’s not yet known where the new facility will be located or whether it will be a drive through or walk in service.
“People need to get tested if they are sick, and to go straight home after their test,” Ms Shing said.
As of Thursday 25 June, there are five active cases of Covid-19 in Cardinia, with the Shire’s total number of cases sitting at 23.
There are 11 cases in Casey, bringing the municipalities total to 92 confirmed cases.
Across the state, 33 new cases were recorded on Thursday, bringing Victoria’s total number of cases to 1917.
“We have made some great progress in slowing the spread of coronavirus, but we are still seeing new cases in the community,” Victoria’s Chief Health Officer professor Brett Sutton said.
“This is the ninth consecutive day of double-digit case growth in Victoria, with a continuing and concerning number of new cases associated with transmission in households and families.
“As a consequence, the Victorian Government has announced a tightening of the rules and has reduced the number of visitors you can have in your home to five. Outside of the home, people can now gather in groups of up to 10 only.
“This move is important to keeping our community safe and to ensure Covid-19 does not get away from us. We do not want Victoria to suffer like many major cities around the world who have been devastated by the severe impacts of Covid-19.”
