Home » News » South Australia and WA place further travel restrictions on Victoria, as Melbourne’s COVID-19 outbreak grows

15 July, 2021

South Australia and WA place further travel restrictions on Victoria, as Melbourne’s COVID-19 outbreak grows

By Alexandra Coulton

Both South Australia and Western Australia have tightened their border restrictions against Victoria, as the state rushes to contain its most recent COVID-19 outbreak.

As of midnight last night, anyone travelling from Greater Melbourne into South Australia is subject to level one restrictions and will need to get tested for COVID-19 within 24 hours of arrival.

The state has also announced commercial transport and freight travellers who have been in Victoria, NSW or the ACT in the past 14 days must provide evidence of having a COVID-19 test within the last 48hrs or must have a COVID-19 test within 24hrs of arrival.

SA Police Commissioner Grant Steven warned that the state may impose harsher restrictions as authorities meet today to discuss the current outbreaks.

“This is a harsh warning to the people of South Australia to make sure that you do the right thing — QR codes, obey the social distancing requirements, adhere to the COVID-safe requirements of hospitality venues, and get a test if you have symptoms,” he said.

This comes after two removalists from NSW who tested positive for COVID-19 visited both South Australia and Melbourne last week.

As a result, Western Australia has transitioned Victoria from ‘very low risk’ to a ‘low risk’, meaning those travelling from the state into WA will need to self-quarantine for 14 days, undergo a health screening and get tested on arrival and on day 11.

“With the NSW outbreak spreading to Victoria, adjustments to our border with Victoria need to take effect immediately,” acting Premier Stephen Dawson said.

“Western Australia has always taken an extra cautious approach to its border controls and this has proven effective in keeping WA safe from COVID-19.

“The WA Chief Health Officer will continue to monitor and review border controls to determine if any further adjustments can be made in the future.”

Victoria recorded two more cases of COVID-19 this morning, on top of the 10 it recorded in the 24 hours before 10am this morning.

The state’s COVID-19 Commander, Jeroen Weimar, said both new cases were related to a case at the MCG members reserve stand.

More than 6,500 people in Victoria are currently in isolation after being identified as close contacts and secondary contacts to more than 75 new exposure sites.

When asked if the state would go into lockdown, Weimar said the next 24 to 48 hours will be critical for the state.

“The team is reviewing all the data and all the epidemiology,” he said.

“This situation is moving not so much hour by hour, by half hour by half hour.

“If we have more information to share, we’ll share it.”

Featured image source: Facebook/SouthAustraliaPolice

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Grant Steven Jeroen Weimar melbourne nsw removalists south australia Stephen Dawson victoria Western Australia