A suspected case of the Omicron COVID-19 variant has been identified within the Wyndham municipality.
The Department of Health (DHS) announced the news this afternoon.
The case, along with a new suspected case in the Brimbank municipality, has returned results with the “S gene dropout” – the absence of the S gene in screening tests is a signature of the Omicron variant.
Yesterday, two suspected Omicron cases were located in Victoria, one in Brimbank and another in the city of Casey.
“Whole genome sequencing is being rapidly undertaken to confirm whether these represent the Omicron variant,” the DHS said in a statement.
“At this stage, it is known that three of these cases are not linked to international travel and their source of acquisition is under investigation.”
“The department is interviewing the suspected Omicron variant cases and is taking a conservative approach to the designation of their contacts, including in non-household settings.
“A number of contacts have been identified and instructed to quarantine for seven or 14 days based on their vaccination status.”
Two positive wastewater detections of the Omicron variant have also been detected at Melbourne Airport.
The samples from two airport catchments were collected on December 1-2 and are consistent with a known suspected case of the Omicron variant who visited the airport.
Anyone who works at, or has visited, Melbourne Airport is urged to watch for the mildest of COVID-19 symptoms and get tested as soon as possible if symptoms develop.
To see the testing and quarantine requirements for international travellers entering Victoria, visit: www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/information-overseas-travellers
