By Laura Michell
Sunbury residents have dodged a second lockdown despite the state government last week issuing stay-at-home orders for other parts of Hume.
Health Minister Jenny Mikakos on Friday revealed that the 3064 postcode, which takes in Craigieburn, Roxburgh Park, Mickleham, Donnybrook and Kalkallo, had the highest number of active coronavirus cases in Victoria. She said there were 52 active cases in the area as of Friday.
Postcode 3047 – Broadmeadows, Dallas and Jacana – had the second-highest number of active cases, with 25.
The postcodes are among 10 across Melbourne’s northern and western suburbs in which stage three restrictions have been reintroduced.
Across Hume, there were 98 active cases of the virus as of Friday. The municipality has recorded 205 cases since the pandemic began.
A family outbreak in Roxburgh Park has spread to 23 people across multiple households, with three new cases linked to the cluster on Friday.
Police checkpoints have been set up at the entrances to locked down suburbs to ensure residents only leave their homes for essential reasons.
Hume council has closed its customer service centres, leisure centres and libraries in Broadmeadows and Craigieburn. Services in Sunbury remain open and will not accept visitors from the locked down postcodes.
Hume mayor Carly Moore said she was worried the second lockdown would be difficult for the community.
“It has been a tough time for our community and we were starting to see some signs of hope. We were starting to get really optimistic about what the future might look like and realistically, we are right back to square one.”
It comes as Sunbury MP Josh Bull reminded residents they were not immune to COVID-19 because they lived in Sunbury.
Mr Bull made the comments after a student at Sunbury College tested positive for coronavirus last week, resulting in the school being closed to staff for three days to allow cleaning to take place.
Victoria’s chief health officer, Brett Sutton said it was critical for people to practice good hygiene in and outside the home regardless of where they live.
“We have made some great progress in slowing the spread of coronavirus, but we are still seeing new cases in the community,” Professor Sutton said.
“Don’t take this disease lightly. if you feel unwell with any symptoms of coronavirus, however mild, you should stay home and get tested.”
