A massive coronavirus outbreak at an Islamic school, which resulted in more than 100 cases, was sparked by family gathering in Victoria.
The outbreak at Al-Taqwa College in Melbourne’s west is the second largest the state has seen, with 102 cases confirmed on Wednesday.
The cluster was linked to a huge family gathering in the same area, health officials confirmed, with older teenagers responsible for spreading the virus.
Many of the cases were year 11 and 12 students, and several teachers also tested positive for the respiratory infection.
Al-Taqwa College in Truganina (pictured) recorded its 102nd case of COVID-19 on Wednesday
Victoria recorded 134 new cases on Wednesday (pictured, Fire Services Victoria members prepare to enter a virus-stricken public housing tower in Melbourne on Wednesday)
The school, in the western Melbourne suburb of Truganina, was closed on May 29 after a staff member tested positive for the virus.
But the number of cases quickly grew, prompting health authorities to urge all 2,000 students and 300 staff to self-isolate before being tested.
Chief health officer Brett Sutton said the transmission rate among students was ‘substantial’.
‘The great majority of cases that turned up in [other] schools were from kids who acquired it at home or outside of school,’ he said.
‘Al-Taqwa College is a different example.
‘There seems to have been transmission in the school that was quite substantial
A massive coronavirus outbreak at an Islamic school (pictured), which resulted in more than 100 cases, was sparked by a family gathering in Victoria
Police and health workers are seen gathering outside a public housing tower in North Melbourne on Wednesday (pictured) as the crisis rumbled on
‘They are older kids. They tend to have more transmission.
‘It’s … akin to adults if they are not doing the physical distancing appropriately, so that’s been a big cluster in terms of schools.’
The school had already closed for the holidays when the outbreak was identified.
The college’s principal, Omar Hallak, told The Guardian they had been vigilant since the outbreak of Covid-19.
Police speak to local outside a north Melbourne tower on Wednesday (pictured) after ten towers were locked down
He said the school had measures in place to try to limit the exposure of staff, students and the wider community.
‘Temperature checks on a daily basis were conducted for all staff, students and anyone needing to visit the school. Any staff or student that presented with even the mildest cold and flu symptoms were sent back home as a safety precaution.’
Melbourne returned to stage three lockdown measures for six weeks on Thursday, with residents only permitted to leave their homes for essential purposes.
Year 11 and 12 pupils and special schools are set to return to class next week.
A worker wearing a face mask and protective clothing attends to members of the public at a pop-up COVID-19 testing clinic in Melbourne (pictured on Wednesday)
But school holidays will be extended by a week for students up to year 10, with remote learning a possibility after that.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said the new lockdown was essential to avoid ‘thousands and thousands’ of cases and ‘many, many people in hospital.’
‘This is a pandemic and it will kill thousands of people if it gets completely away from us,’ he said.
Of the 2,942 cases recorded in Victoria since January 25, 860 remain active.
The biggest cluster in the state was the Cedar Meats outbreak, which saw 111 cases at the western suburbs abattoir.
Melbourne will returns to stage three lockdown measures for six weeks from midnight Wednesday (pictured is a map of affected council areas)
Medical staff conduct tests at the Keilor community hub mobile testing site on Monday (pictured)