New variant detected: Two cases not genomically linked to other Victorian COVID-19 cases

Genomic testing has revealed the COVID-19 positive Melbourne family who travelled to Jervis Bay is not linked to the other coronavirus cases in Victoria.

Two in the West Melbourne family have the Delta variant of the virus, which cannot be genomically linked to any other cases anywhere else in the country.

The main variant in Victoria’s current outbreak is Kappa.

“Sequencing has identified a new variant that is unrelated to all of the other cases in our cluster thus far in Melbourne,” Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said.

The variant has previously been detected in hotel quarantine.

Mr Sutton says it’s “likely” a grade five student was the primary case of the Delta variant.

Victoria recorded four new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 yesterday.

The new cases bring the number of local active cases to 64.

COVID-19 testing commander Jeroen Weimar told Neil Mitchell three of the four new cases have been linked to the West Melbourne family who travelled to Jervis Bay.

The three are two parents and a child, all from the same family.

The fourth case is a primary close contact of an existing case and was in quarantine during their infectious period.

Yesterday was a record COVID-19 vaccination day, with 24,169 doses administered.

Press PLAY below to listen to some of today’s press conference and Neil Mitchell’s reaction