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Genomics testing has confirmed the hotel quarantine worker who tested positive to COVID-19 on Wednesday has the UK variant of the virus.
Victorian authorities are still working to establish how the highly infectious virus strain was transmitted to the worker, who is a 26-year-old man from Noble Park.
Sixteen of the man's close contacts have tested negative for COVID-19. Test results from a 17th close contact are still being processed.
Premier Daniel Andrews said a strong testing turnout in the previous 24-hours, which had yet to detect any new community transmission, were "the best outcomes we could hope for".
He thanked Victorians for the part they were playing in keeping the community safe, but said it was not over yet.
Mr Andrews reiterated calls for Victorians to get tested for COVID-19 at the earliest sign of symptoms.
The press conference ended as leaders of Australian state, territory and federal governments headed into a national cabinet meeting.
The meeting is expected to cover topics such as COVID-19 vaccines, caps on returning international travellers, and the potential for more hotel quarantine arrangements in regional locations.
Earlier
ZERO new cases of COVID-19 have been linked to community transmission in Victoria, despite the infection of a hotel quarantine worker.
Three new overseas acquired cases of the virus were reported in the 24-hours to Friday.
The total number of active cases in Victoria is now 24.
Related content:
Fifteen of the workers 17 household and social primary close contacts tested negative on Thursday, with two results pending at the end of the day. It's not clear whether these results are included in Friday's Department of Health totals.
Health authorities had 14,612 COVID-19 tests reported to them in the 24-hours to Friday.
Health authorities are investigating the leak of COVID-19 from hotel quarantine at the Grand Hyatt in Melbourne.
A 26-year-old worker tested positive on Wednesday, causing authorities to mandate masks in public indoor spaces and reduce the cap on private indoor gatherings to 15.
Premier Daniel Andrews has described the worker as a "model employee", as health authorities traced the man's close contacts. Members of his household returned negative test results.
Other news:
A full list of public exposure sites to COVID-19 is available on the Department of Health website.
The health department is yet to confirm whether the man is carrying a more infectious mutation of the coronavirus, spreading overseas. Genomic sequencing of the virus is expected on Friday.
With AAP.
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