Melbourne doctor among eight new coronavirus cases in Victoria

A male GP who caught coronavirus from a close contact is among eight new COVID-19 cases in Victoria.

A doctor examines a lung x-ray. A Melbourne GP is one of Victoria’s new coronavirus cases.

A doctor examines a lung x-ray. A Melbourne GP is one of Victoria’s new coronavirus cases. Source: Getty Images

A Victorian GP is one of the state's new coronavirus cases, the government has confirmed.

Eight new coronavirus cases were confirmed, with six of those in quarantine, the state's health department said on Saturday.

The male GP is asymptomatic and caught the potentially deadly virus from a close contact, who also showed no symptoms.

He worked at three clinics in the state including Croyden, Lilydale and Coburg, according to the department.
Another recently diagnosed coronavirus case was a close contact of a Rydges worker.

Today the government announced it would fund $9.8 million to help homeless Victorians stay in emergency hotel accommodation.

"This additional funding will ensure Victorians experiencing homelessness continue to receive the support and housing they need to stay safe during and long after coronavirus," he said on Saturday.


Nine extra planning workers will be temporarily deployed to work in areas of high demand.

These workers would help co-ordinate with local services to ensure each homeless person in a hotel has the support they need to achieve stable housing, the government said.

It comes as workers at the Rydges Hotel in Melbourne, where a cluster was reported, claim lax hygiene sparked the outbreak, The Age said.

Department of Health and Human Services staff told guards to ration face masks and gloves due to shortage, according to the newspaper.

"It is outrageous that effectively you've got a hotel that has been taken over to run as a health facility to keep people safe in quarantine and you don't have staff adequately protected," opposition spokesman David Southwick told reporters on Saturday.

People in Australia must stay at least 1.5 metres away from others. Check your state’s restrictions on gathering limits.

Testing for coronavirus is now widely available across Australia. If you are experiencing cold or flu symptoms, arrange a test by calling your doctor or contact the Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080.

The federal government's coronavirus tracing app COVIDSafe is available for download from your phone's app store.

SBS is committed to informing Australia’s diverse communities about the latest COVID-19 developments. News and information is available in 63 languages at 


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Published 13 June 2020 6:44pm
Updated 13 June 2020 7:06pm


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