Health authorities chasing ‘critical bit of information’ as Victoria records two new COVID cases

Health authorities are desperately trying to track down anyone who may have contracted COVID-19 while at the MCG on Saturday.

Two new cases have emerged this morning.

Both new cases are believed to have contracted the virus at the Carlton v Geelong game.

A positive case, a man in his 60s who lives in the Ariele Apartments in Maribyrnong, attended the game.

He was seated on level two of the MCC Members’ Reserve, which is an exposure site.

A man in his 50s, a Barwon Heads resident who is friends with the Maribyrnong man and attended the game with him, has also contracted COVID-19. Two of his household contacts — a nine-year-old child and a man in his 60s — have tested positive to the virus.

Two other people, an adult and a child, who were at the Carlton v Geelong game and were on level two of the MCC Members’ Reserve, have also tested positive.

They are not believed to be known contacts of the initial positive case who attended the game while infectious.

One of the cases is believed to have been a Tier 1 contact, while the other was a Tier 2 contact.

COVID-19 testing commander Jeroen Weimar says establishing whether anyone else who was at the MCG has the virus is the “critical bit of information we need to get today”.

“It’s this next 24 or 48 hours to see whether this is a wave that’s standing up on us or whether we’re already cresting over the top,” he said.

“Right now I don’t have that information.”

Press PLAY below to hear part of Jeroen Weimar’s press conference