An outbreak in a meat processing plant has rocked Victoria with 62 infections now linked to the facility.
An additional 13 cases linked to the Cedar Meats plant in Brooklyn were confirmed by Victorian health authorities on Thursday morning.
A worker at Doutta Galla Aged Care in Footscray that was in close contact with an abattoir worker has also been confirmed positive.
This announcement followed the news that a worker at Grant Lodge aged care in Bacchus Marsh tested positive on Saturday.
Both nursing homes have been shut down, while the state government argued it had managed the outbreak perfectly.
Agriculture Minister David Littleproud is investigating contacts between commonwealth inspectors and meatworks staff. Source: AAP
Premier Dan Andrews on Thursday defended his government's response to the outbreak.
"This has been a model example of dealing with an outbreak," he told reporters.
"This is a very infectious disease. It spreads rapidly."
The person who tested positive on 2 April said they hadn't been at work while infectious, so the workplace was not considered an exposure site.
The second case linked to the workplace was diagnosed on 24 April, followed by a third case about 24 hours later.
Federal Agriculture Minister David Littleproud is investigating whether commonwealth officials inspecting abattoirs might have been affected.
Victorian Chief Health Officer Professor Brett Sutton said it's not clear exactly how the outbreak emerged.
Cedar Meats is now shut and Professor Sutton expects that will bring the outbreak to a head, after some more cases emerge in the next fortnight.
The chief health officer said the outbreak warned the fight against the virus was far from over, but showed hope of Victoria relaxing measures after 11 May.
Victoria's opposition slammed Premier Daniel Andrews, claiming the meatworks outbreak was Victoria's "own Ruby Princess".
Health Minister Jenny Mikakos dismissed the comparison, saying "the public health team has done an excellent job in responding to this outbreak."
The Ruby Princess virus cluster is linked to more than 20 deaths and 600 infections across Australia.
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 .
