Six prisons in Victoria have been placed in lockdown after a guard at one of the facilities tested positive for COVID-19.
On Tuesday, the Department of Justice and Community Safety confirmed to SBS News a prison officer at Ravenhall Correctional Centre in Melbourne's west has the virus.
"The GEO staff member has been self-isolating since 16 July 2020 after being notified they were a close contact of a positive case," a spokesperson for the department said.
Ravenhall Correctional Centre and five other prisons have since been placed in lockdown.
"Measures are being taken in line with Corrections Victoria's coronavirus management plans, working with the Department of Health and Human Services, to limit the potential spread of the virus and keep staff and prisoners safe," the spokesperson said.
"Precautionary measures include thorough cleaning, contact tracing and lockdown procedures."
Since a COVID-19 case was found in the Metropolitan Remand Centre last week, some have been calling on the Victorian government to release low-risk prisoners.
"Our prisoners are sitting ducks right now," Victorian Greens spokesperson for justice Tim Read said in a statement.
"It would take very little effort on the state government's part to make low-risk prisoners eligible for early release to help reduce our prison numbers substantially and protect inmates and staff alike from a potential outbreak."
The Australian Lawyers Alliance echoed this last week.
"Since the COVID-19 crisis broke we have said that prisoners are at grave risk of becoming infected and that the poor sanitary conditions of prisons around Australia means COVID-19 could spread quickly if it enters a prison," alliance spokesman Greg Barns said.
Victoria recorded another 374 cases on Tuesday and three more people died.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews addresses the media Source: AAP
But Premier Daniel Andrews said he was confident his state's strict lockdown measures are having a direct impact.
"At the end of the day, we're not seeing the [case numbers] doubling and doubling again," he told reporters.
Deputy Chief Medical Officer Michael Kidd said everyone had hoped there would be a drop in cases over the first few weeks, as with the earlier lockdown in March and April.
"We have got to wait and watch just for another few days to see what happens and see if we do actually turn down the curve with those numbers," he said in Canberra.
Additional reporting: AAP
Residents in metropolitan Melbourne are subject to stay-at-home orders and can only leave home for essential work, study, exercise or care responsibilities. People are also advised to wear masks in public.
People in Australia must stay at least 1.5 metres away from others. Check your state’s restrictions on gathering limits.
If you are experiencing cold or flu symptoms, stay home and arrange a test by calling your doctor or contact the Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080.
News and information is available in 63 languages at
