Expert says almost all cases in the state's deadly second wave stem from at least three returned travellers.
"What I could say, a high-level statement would be, that over 99 per cent of all current cases in Victoria for which we have genome sequences, are derived from [those three sequences]," Professor Howden said."Such that essentially all current cases, bar a few, are from those [three sequences]."
Professor Howden said the Doherty Institute’s genomic sequencing looked at 46 per cent of all the state’s cases up to July 23. "What we have done today, more than 99 per cent fit within those clusters we discussed … I doubt that proportion will change much but as we go along in time, there is a possibility that a new cluster could be introduced through another mechanism and we may detect that.
Professor Howden, head of genomic sequencing at the Doherty Institute, said his unit had analysed 46 per cent of Victoria’s total cases up to July 23. Infectious disease expert Professor Lindsay Grayson was asked about the Department of Health and Human Services advice to security guards that there was no need to wear protective equipment on the hotel quarantine floor when guests arrived, or during doorway visits if physical distancing could be maintained.
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