Victoria’s biggest Islamic school has 2,000 students as close contacts in coronavirus cluster

Victoria’s biggest Islamic school at the centre of coronavirus cluster has 2,000 students who are ALL being treated as close contacts

  • Al-Taqwa College in Truganina recorded its 90th case of COVID-19 on Tuesday
  • All 300 staff and 2,000 students were asked to get tested as close contacts 
  • Authorities say it is possible infections occurred before knowledge of first case
  • The school ensured they had taken ever precaution to protect staff and students

All 2,000 students and 300 teachers at Victoria’s largest Islamic school which is at the centre of a horror coronavirus cluster are being treating as close contacts. 

Al-Taqwa College, in the outer western Melbourne suburb of Truganina, recorded its 90th case of COVID-19 on Tuesday. 

Victorian Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said all staff and pupils have been ordered to quarantine.

‘There seems to have been transmission in the school that was quite substantial,’ he said on Tuesday. 

Al-Taqwa College in Truganina (pictured) recorded its 90th case of COVID-19 on Tuesday

Professor Sutton said it was possible some infections could have occurred before authorities knew of the first case, which spread through older kids at the school.

‘They tend to have more transmission that’s akin to adults, if they’re not doing physical distancing appropriately, so that’s been a big cluster in terms of schools,’ he said.

A teacher at the school was first diagnosed with COVID-19 on June 29.

Three more were infected the next day and eight the day after that.

The cluster reached 15 cases on July 2, with students among the 23 infections on July 3.

There were 33 cases recorded on Saturday, 59 on Sunday, 77 on Monday and 90 in the cluster on Tuesday. 

The only larger coronavirus cluster in the state was at the Cedar Meats abattoir, which recorded 111 infections. 

Medical staff conduct coronavirus tests at the Keilor community hub mobile testing site on Monday

Medical staff conduct coronavirus tests at the Keilor community hub mobile testing site on Monday

Al-Taqwa College principal Omar Hallak released an update on Facebook on Sunday.

‘All staff and students have been asked to get tested immediately and have been placed in quarantine while DHHS continues their tracing and the College undergoes a deep clean,’ the post reads.

‘We are working closely with DHHS to support their efforts to trace the origin of the virus and to trace all the contacts of the affected people.

‘We know this news will add to anxiety in the community. We pray that our state overcomes this pandemic and we wish every affected person a speedy recovery.

Mr Hallak ensured the school had taken ever precaution to protect staff and students with safety measures implemented on site. 

‘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,’ the post continues.

Al-Taqwa College principal Omar Hallak ensured the school had taken ever precaution to protect staff and students. Pictured: a paramedic with a test sample in Brunswick West on Saturday

Al-Taqwa College principal Omar Hallak ensured the school had taken ever precaution to protect staff and students. Pictured: a paramedic with a test sample in Brunswick West on Saturday

‘Staff were directed to abide by the guidelines of the Premier and the Chief Health Minister at all times. Good hygiene posters were placed all around the school as were hand sanitizers to ensure everyone was practicing good hygiene and told to social distance.

‘We have taken additional measures since the outbreak, including spending over $100,000 on additional cleaning and hygiene measures, involving an organisation approved by DHHS.

‘We have tried our utmost best to prevent having any cases in our school, however, unfortunately, this is out of our hands as it is with quite a few other schools around Victoria, around the nation and around the world, which is quite saddening.’

Stage three lockdown restrictions will be implemented in Victoria on Wednesday night, with Year 11 and 12 pupils and special schools set to go back to class.

Holidays will be extended by a week for students up to year 10, with remote learning a possibility after that.

Under-pressure 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.

Where are Victoria’s new coronavirus cases? 

* 13 infections relate to the North Melbourne and Flemington public housing towers, with the total now 69

* 12 new cases are linked to the Al-Taqwa College outbreak, bringing that total to 90

* Four new cases have been linked to the Northern Hospital in Epping, with the total now nine.

* One case linked to Aitken Hill Primary School in Craigieburn with that outbreak now at 10

* The remaining new cases are linked to existing family clusters in Truganina, Patterson Lakes/Lysterfield, Fawkner and Sunshine West

* One new case has also been confirmed in a staff member at the Assisi Aged Care facility in Rosanna, who did not work while infectious 

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